NDC leader Chishimba Kambwili says the only thing he worries about whenever he is arrested are mosquitoes.

And Kambwili says when it comes to persecuting opponents, the MMD was much better than the Patriotic Front.

Speaking when he featured on Diamond TV’s COSTA program, Monday evening, Kambwili said everyone could tell that all the cases he was facing before the courts of law were politically motivated.

He said, however, that he only worried about mosquitoes whenever he was locked up because he had a lot of “fat” for them to feast on.

“Imbili ni mbwili (a leopard is a leopard). Just that I don’t want to talk about individual cases in court but to tell you that it is very unusual, extremely unusual and I think anybody will agree with me that these are politically motivated cases. And I think the almighty God, who lives and reigns in heaven will fight for me. I have been treated very badly but I have accepted, mafuta nomba, nsubapo fye, nga ba njeba ati banjikata (it’s like oil, I just apply whenever they call for my arrest). The only thing I worry is the mosquitoes because when I go to prison, they say uyu naena uwaina aisa nafuti, twalila (this fat one has come again, we shall feast today),” Kambwili joked.

“I think I have accepted the situation and I think that this is typical of a government that is scared of its own shadow.”

And Kambwili said the PF had built a bad record when it came to persecution of opponents.

“I don’t think we had that record in three years of Michael Sata’s government. I don’t think we did. When we had (Levy) Mwanawasa, I don’t think we had that [kind of persecution]. So by far, the MMD is better than the PF. When you have some individuals who don’t deserve to hold certain important ministerial positions, who only knows ‘go and arrest him’ without even knowing the consequences of those arrests, that is the end result. But for me, I have accepted on behalf of the Zambians to suffer, mafuta uku njikata (arrest is like lotion to me), even now they can come and arrest me, I will go and sleep in cells,” Kambwili said.

Meanwhile, speaking to journalists at the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court, Monday, Kambwili said he had instructed NDC members to concentrate on party mobilisation because talking about corruption was tiring since there was lack of action.

“Just to tell this PF government, we have spoken enough about corruption, illegal dealings and not being serious with governance. Now we are getting tired. And I want to appeal to all our members to concentrate on party organisation and mobilisation because aba abantu twa esha ukulandu umu (we have tried talking) [but] they are not changing. The best we can do now, I think, is to stop following them individually or collectively and just concentrate on party mobilisation. Because if you argue with a fool, nobody will notice the difference,” Kambwili said.

Kambwili also said government had allowed street vending along Lumumba road because it wanted to hoodwink voters ahead of the 2021 elections.

“They removed you street vendors from the streets, today because it’s now getting towards elections, they say ‘Lumumba Road, you can trade as street vendors’. Bayamba ukumizembeleka (they start to woo you). This is what I tell you Zambians, be careful. Next thing they will say ‘no we have reduced mealie meal. They will just be doing it for the purpose of election nearing. We have so many road projects that have not been completed which has stalled because there is no money. Somebody lifts his plane into Mporokoso to lie to the people of Kaputa, Nsama that we have inaugurated the construction of Mporokoso to Kaputa road when so many road projects, schools and hospitals are not being done because there is money,” said Kambwili.

“I’m reminding Zambians, wake up. Dont be cheated. People of Mporokoso that road would never move an inch. They will bring equipment there and it will just be packed. Watch them.”

Meanwhile, the matter in which Kambwili is jointly charged with his son Mwamba, Mwamona Engineering and Technical Services and others, with 39 counts of being in possession of property suspected to be proceeds of crime and other charges, has been adjourned to November 15, this year for continued trial.

When the matter came up for continued trial before magistrate Mwaka Mikalile, Monday, the State informed the court it was not ready to proceed into trial because the two prosecutors handling the matter were indisposed.