Roan Member of Parliament Chishimba Kambwili says he will exert pressure on President Edgar Lungu until the Head of State wakes up to the problems affecting poor Zambians.
And Kambwili charged that President Lungu shivers whenever he sees an airplane, itching to jump on it and fly away, leaving problems at home.
Speaking during a press briefing today, Kambwili said it will now be punch for punch between him and President Lungu.
“For those who know Chishimba Kambwili, I can exert pressure and I have started exerting pressure on President Edgar Lungu so that he gets up, pulls up his socks and start working for the people of Zambia other than traveling every time. Yes we know traveling is part of your job but it’s not mandatory. I was Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Sata in the first one year of office traveled less than five times, the first one year in office he was sending Dr Guy Scott and myself to go and represent him. It is not mandatory that if there is an inauguration ceremony in Rwanda , it has to be the President to travel,” Kambwili said.
“What we are saying is that when the President travels it is very expensive than when the Vice-President or a Minister travels. So all we are asking you is that yes, these international meetings are important but you can delegate and you don’t lose anything by delegating. We don’t want to have a President who is going to be traveling every month. Everytime you see an aeroplane kututuma mpaka muninemo, mulelekafye indeke yatala yatushako (every time you see an aeroplane, your body itches until you jump on it, sometimes you should leave the plane to cool down and rest).”
Kambwili said president Edgar Lungu could not have traveled to Copperbelt yesterday to meet the miners at Mopani Copper mines if he did not ask him to.
“I want to thank his Excellency the president for taking a trip to Copperbelt yesterday though I am disappointed with some of the words and pronouncements he used while on the Copperbelt. For me I know President Lungu very well and that’s why I am thanking him for having gone to the Copperbelt after I spoke about it because I knew that if I did not speak about it then the problem of Mopani could have been with us even today but I knew that if I jab a bit into President Lungu advising him that you can not give instructions from Mfuwe, go there and quickly see what is going on [and] he quickly rushed and intervened in the Mopani/CEC standoff. For me I have done my job, that’s how I operate and that’s what makes Chishimba Kambwili. It’s because when I see that some people need to be pushed to do their job, I push them and it’s clear to all of you members of the press that he went to the Copperbelt because of what I said,” he said.
Meanwhile, Kambwili has asked President Lungu to stop insulting him each he goes to the Copperblt and simply focus of his duties as Head of State.
“You saw when he arrived on the Copperbelt he said ‘kuli kapala umo ulelandalanda at alimitemwa bashi mine elo ine nshamitemwa. (there is one useless person who is claiming to love you the miners more than I do)’ and we all know who he was refering to as a Kapala. But I want to tell President Edgar Lungu that you are President of the country, [as such] please avoid derogatory statements against innocent citizens. I have been a victim of insults from President Lungu and I have never answered back,” Kambwili said.
“I will not insult you back President Edgar Lungu because I have respect for the office of the President and I have respect for you because you are older than me. But the only thing I can ask you is that in our discourse to improve the living standards of our people, let us be civil. I will not insult you but I will attack you on the basis of things that affect the people of Zambia.”
He said he add more pressure on President Lungu after Parliament reopens.
“I know that pressure makes people do things that they do not want to do. And for you Mr President, be prepared for more pressure, it is punch for punch until the living standards of our people improves. So if you expect that I am going to keep quiet because you are calling me a Kapala, you are thinking in a wrong way because what makes Chishimba Kambwili is to speak out. So Mr president please stop insulting me, stop disparaging me because for me everything I say are issues that are affecting the poor people of this country. I hope that this is the last time Mr President that you are going to Ndola Airport and call me names. I am not a Kapala, my name is Chishimba Kambwili…imbwili ni mbwili (a tiger is a tiger). Elo ndemyeba ba President tulinenu tight, wait for Parliament to open because some of the things I can not say them here I have no immunity,” said Kambwili.
