In this video, President Edgar Lungu has ordered police to man the premises where he is holding a meeting with Copperbelt Patriotic Front officials to iron out differences saying he is ready for violence.
Speaking upon arrival at Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe Airport in Ndola around 16:00 hours, the Head of State said he was tired of people talking behind his back, challenging Roan member of parliament Chishimba Kambwili and former Copperbelt Minister Mwenya Musenge to be honest about their grievances.
“Nali umfwa ati mwalikata ubwafya na mayor, mwali kwata ubwafya na minister, Chishimba Kambwili alikwata ubwafya, Mwenya Musenge alikwata ubwafya, mukesa njeba ku Lusaka bonse. Tuleya ku meeting muye mulande ifishinka. Bakapokola mu palame mupepi in case it becomes violent because I am ready for violence myself (I have heard that you have a problem with the mayor and the minister. Chishimba Kambwili has an issue, Mwenya Musenge has an issue, you will come and tell me all this in Lusaka. Let us go to the meeting you tell me the truth. Police be on close by in case it becomes violent because I am ready for violence myself),” President Lungu said.
“I am so tired of people talking behind other people’s backs. I want people to be honest enough to say what they feel. Go and find a hall in the next two and half hours we have a meeting, how soon can you organize a hall?”
He said the Copperbelt had become the base of confusion in the PF and he wanted his officials there to tell him why they were bickering like little boys and girls.
“The provincial minister and your provincial chairman present here and all members of the central committee present here now, all provincial members of the party and all MPs who have been elected on the Copperbelt and all chairmen and mayors and indeed all those who are ministers who live on the Copperbelt, we need to meet at 18:30, I do not know where but we have to meet. The reason is simple; Copperbelt has been the base of confusion in PF. Some of you think you are very powerful, some of you think you found the party, some of you think you can manipulate the party. I want it to be known that the party is the membership. Some of you are privileged to be here, others appointed, the party is the people,” President Lungu said.
“I want you to come and tell me why you are bickering like little boys and girls. Some are claiming they own the party, who are you to own this party? Some are saying they are original members of the party, there is nothing original about membership. If you joined the party today and you deserve to be appointed, you can be appointed. This party is not owned by any single individual so provincial minister, provincial PS and provincial chairman organize a venue, we need to meet in two and half hours time.”
President Lungu directed PF deputy secretary general Mumbi Phiri to remind Central Committee members of correct procedures of handling disputes.
“And you, madam Mumbi Phiri, you have been here long enough to tell all those who belong to the Central Committee that if they have issues with the party, to table them before the secretary general in Lusaka so that the we can have a meeting in Lusaka all of us the Central Committee members,” said President Lungu.
President Lungu is in the province on a two-day working visit where he is expected to commission the $493 million Copperbelt 400Km road and the $397 million Copperbelt International Airport Project.
3 Responses
‘I want you to tell me why you are bickering like little boys and girls,’ -please do not denigrate little boys and girls. They do not bicker. Their candour is unequivocal. When one wants what belongs to another and the owner refuses to give, they don’t feign humility. They simply grab, no pretence, no died-in-the-wool excuses. Little boys and girls are more straight forward with each other and their world much less hypocritical. What you see is what you get.
Do you have police permit to assemble? Or you are above the law?
Aba bena Zambia yalobele lyauma. Nice ba citongo!