Chongwe District Council Chairperson Geoffrey Chuumbwe says he has got nothing to apologize for because the alleged tribal sentiments charged on him are not true.

On Monday, State House Press Aide Amos Chanda said President Edgar Lungu had directed PF Secretary General Davies Mwila to strongly chastise Max Chongu and Chuumbwe for some tribal remarks they allegedly made during campaigns for the upcoming intra-party polls.

But in an interview, Chuumbwe denied making any tribal remarks.

“First and foremost, I have to be very clear on that. I started politics in 1992 and I come from Lusaka Province. I have been a provincial chairman not once [and] not twice and not even at one time did I use tribalism as a stepping stone for my political career. And if they say apologize, I don’t have anything to apologize [for] because I have never used any tribal remarks during my campaigns. I have only campaigned for two weeks and this is the reason why I was saying ‘I will enter the race for provincial chairman late because I knew that the moment I hit the ground, people start shivering and wondering whatever,” Chuumbwe said.

Chuumbwe, however, apologised on behalf of Chongu, if he did make such remarks.

“But what I am trying to say is that if Max said that, I feel so sad if he said it because I’ve not heard about that comment myself. So if Max made that comment, I want to distance myself from that and I think the right person who should apologize is Max not me. And I don’t know why the attacks should come to me other than the person himself who said that. So all I am saying is that we are not going to entertain any tribalism in our campaigns and if anyone thinks we did that, I want to say sorry on behalf Max and on behalf of everyone in our team but it was not an intention of the team to make such a remark. We are very sorry and we are asking that people should understand that in politics, there are people who use any small things to advance their needs. So I am very sorry if it ever happened,” said Chuumbwe.