You could be excused for suggesting that Lusaka Mayor Miles Sampa has successfully removed himself from being a policy making government executive to a performing celebrity – that’s if celebrity means shocking and entertaining citizens because those are the two attributes for which he has developed a knack.

If he is not brandishing a gun and threatening to shoot anyone who threatens his life on social media, then he is posting his Kung-Fu pictures from the Great Wall of China.

And when he takes a break from fighting the Lusaka City’s beloved Hybrid Chicken Statue, he is literary drinking on duty in the name of celebrating Zambia’s products which have made it on a list of Africa’s best brands.

“Incase you missed it, opaque Beer ‘Chibuku Shake Shake’ produced by Lusaka based National Breweries Ltd has been picked as the 20th best brand in Africa. Now when I was about 15 years old, I tasted my first alchohol at the then LCC owned Nilanga tarven in Matero. The liquor was sold in big plastic open containers (upper low) and people would sit in circles of friends to enjoy the beer while they fellowshiped,” Sampa captioned the enclosed picture on his Facebook page around 16:00 hours yesterday.

“I followed my older friends and was given the upper low to try out the beer. It tasted slightly bitter but I later on ‘acquired’ and loved the taste. That Beer was called Chibuku.
About 35 years later, that same Chibuku Beer now nicely packaged has been recognised as the 20th best brand in Africa(@AfricanBizMag). Incidentally the mentioned Nilanga tarvern then owned by the Council and where I first tasted Chibuku, is now the premises or building turned into Bigocca church in Matero.”

He vowed that as a patriotic Zambian, he would promote local brands by drinking only one Chibuku per day.

“On my part, I show patriotism and solidarity to Zambian Lusaka products. I will Not drink imported Whisky type of drinks that creates jobs outside Zambia. I will hereon drink one (1) packet of Chibuku opaque beer after work. Just one (1),” wrote Sampa.

“National Breweries: produce more and more of Chibuku so you can even export some and employ more and more of Lusaka youths as well as bring in the much needed foreign exchange. Well done and Congratulations to all for the Chibuku Beer brand International award. Let’s all support and uplift our local brew Chibuku. The economic benefits in doing so are diverse and huge in the long run to all Zambians and in particular Lusaka residents. Well done Chibuku beer and Keep it up.”