Civil Society for Constitutional Agenda (CiSCA) Chairperson John Mambo says President Edgar is running Zambia like his farm because he does not take time to meet his employers and respond to their queries.

And Bishop Mambo says President Lungu will run away from Zambian when his term of office ends because he will fail to account for his actions.

In an interview, Thursday, Bishop Mamba said it was unpresidential for President Lungu to run the country without holding regular press conferences for the sake of accountability.

He observed that there was too much speculation in the country because citizens were starved of information.

“It’s very sad that the President does not address the nation. That’s unpresidential. It’s poor on his behalf and really sad. That’s why we are foolish as Zambians. He should be answerable to the people who employed him. He has the number one job in the country. We are foolish as Zambians because we have allowed him to do that. There are reasons why each person voted for him. So he cannot afford to treat them like they are nothing. We are the ones who have given him that job, so we are foolish for allowing him to be quiet because he is a not a master. We are foolish including myself. We need to call him to account just like MPs. If I am in Church myself I should account, you. I should just be called bishop, reverend, no! I should be held to account. Even the issue of appointing ministers, you allow your press aid to do that, that’s down grading the position of ministers. KK had the best way of running the system because he addressed anything that came up. And in the 27 years that he ruled, we avoided a lot of crisis because he went out, he came out during press conferences,” Bishop Mambo said.

He observed that President Lungu’s nationality debate would have been laid to rest once and for all had he held a press conference to respond to questions on the matter.

“Even the issue of nationality he would have not sent anyone who talking nonsense to respond on his behalf, no! he would have called for press conference and answer, those chiefs would be paraded, their supporting village headman and all that. When the Church of God tampered with me I called for a press conference and everything died a natural death. I told the Americans go to hell. A credential doesn’t take anyone to heaven. So that’s what happens. So, it is very wrong for the president to be quiet. Look at [Cyril] Ramaphosa, he came into power yesterday but has kept on briefing the nation. For President Lungu its like running a farm without meetings with your workers so they don’t know what your future is. That in itself is a disaster. Let us be able to tell whoever becomes a president now and beyond 2021 that they should hold press conferences and address national issues. And that’s why there are speculations because journalist are starved of information. That’s why they want to now shut the social media. Because they are starved of information and people are speculating,” Bishop Mambo said.

And Bishop Mambo said President Lungu would run away from Zambia once his term of office elapsed.

“President Lungu will run away from this country when his presidency is over because he will have a lot to answer to. He will fail to account for his actions. Because if those who are the major players take it for granted, they have everything to lose and destroy the country, but themselves they will be comfortable somewhere even outside the country. if he is not careful he will spend his years after the presidency outside the country. If he can’t be accountable he will run away from Zambia because people will want him to account for all his actions today. It’s important that he holds press briefings to tell the nations what is happening around the country. He will have to get some dual citizenship,” Bishop Mambo said.

Meanwhile, Bishop Mambo said the political tension in Zambia was scary and it had caused pain to freedom fighters who liberated the country from colonialists.

“It’s quite scary and the hearts of many of us are bleeding in seeing that if we are not careful we are losing a country that has enjoyed peace for the last 53 years and our fore fathers are in more pains. Talking about the Kaunda’s, the Grey Zulu’s, the Wina’s just to mention a few. Those saw us having lost less than 200 people in their struggle for us to gain independence. All along we have been accommodative, Zambians have been known in every country in the world as peaceful, when you land in a foreign country people would know that these are Zambian. But of late, we are sending gloomy faces into our townships, villages, because of the utterances, tribal, hate speeches, name calling and that is not necessary. And yet the country is declared as a christian nation. We are supposed to govern based on the fear of God. Meaning love your neighbor. You cannot agree for example we can talk about the nationalities of the President, this is our own making. It started with Kaunda, it went to Mwanawasa, it went to Rupiah name it. So that’s uncalled for as a nation. Yes, it’s totally uncalled for,” said Bishop Mambo.