Rainbow Party General Secretary Wynter Kabimba says Chishimba Kambwili is playing childish politics.
And Kabimba says Kambwili must take proof of President Edgar Lungu’s corruption to the ACC because there is no law which shields a Head of State from being investigated.
Speaking when he featured on Pan African Radio’s ‘People’s Debate Forum’, Kabimba said it was childish for Kambwili to hold a briefing and disclose that he used to buy toilet tissue for PF secretary general Mumbi Phiri.
“It is a shame that we can have people that have held high positions, former member of the central committee in the PF, former minister in the PF government but do not know how to debate. The only language you have in terms of debate is by insulting others. That is not the way to play politics. The correct way is to be intellect and put forward an argument. But to go on Prime TV, and this is where I disagree with ba Kambwili, with due respect to him. To go on radio, on Prime TV and to start saying that he is the one who was buying Mumbi Phiri toilet paper? It is childish to say the least. It’s not leadership. And you hear people saying ‘no Kambwili is right’. Is that the kind of leader really, that can resolve the problems of Zambia? I don’t think so myself. So let’s learn to debate and debate in the most polite way,” Kabimba said.
He said even though Kambwili wanted to be popular, it was important to sound reasonable.
“That is why you see as Rainbow Party, our approach is completely different. We want to get to the bottom of these fire engines using facts. Once we have got these facts we shall come to the people and say ‘these are the facts that we have’. If it means going to court, we shall go to court to make sure that this matter is adjudicated upon by an impartial tribunal, by a court and get to the bottom of this. We must avoid anarchy, we must avoid populism. I know that populism is supposed to be part of politics but even if you want to be popular at least sound reasonable and not deliberate towards others,” Kabimba said.
Kabimba also said there was no doubt in anyone’s mind that there was corruption in government as the PF has even forgotten how to spell the word corruption.
“Look, there is no doubt in anyone’s mind including those of us in Rainbow Party that there is corruption in our society today under the PF government. A government that in 2010 and 2011 stood on the pedestal of fighting corruption, today has stopped. They have even forgotten how to spell the word corruption. And the way you tell corruption is the accumulation of unaccounted for wealth by those that are in power. If tomorrow you became a minister in the PF government and within six months you are packing five, six vehicles in front of your house, surely in a normal society you must explain the source of that wealth. Because you cannot buy so many vehicles in six months as a minister. I have been a minister myself. If you had one property and by the end of one year you have built three properties, surely society demands that you explain to it where you got that money. If you cannot account for what you have then the conclusion is that you must be involved in corruption,” he said.
He said it was surprising for President Edgar Lungu to call for evidence when it was all over the streets.
“I get surprised when President Edgar Lungu says ‘give me the evidence’ because the evidence is there, out there on the streets. Amongst his ministers and his government officials. I liked somebody who argued saying that ‘this is what we heard from [Fredrick] Chiluba’. When people said to him Chiluba that ‘your government is corrupt’ he said ‘no give me the evidence’. How can he see corruption when he himself is corrupt? Until he got out of power that’s when we discovered the extent of his corruption. So, yes there is corruption. And you can see it by the affluence that people are swimming in starting from State House, ministers and government officials. We see it. We live with them,” Kabimba said.
And Kabimba encouraged Kambwili to produce proof that President Lungu was corrupt.
“With all the information that Chishimba Kambwili seems to have, if I were him, I would go with my document and file a complaint with ACC and I would take my documents to the police. There is no law in this country which says the President cannot be investigated for criminal acts. The law that exists is that the President cannot be prosecuted. But the President can be investigated,” said Kabimba.
“There is no disorder that Kambwili is causing. People are just ignoring him because they have heard the same story from the day he was fired. What he is supposed to do, let him do what I have done. Let him show us the evidence that even when he was in government, he was against corruption. Show us. I have posted letters myself on the Rainbow website to prove that I was against corruption even when I was in PF getting a salary as a minister. I challenge him to come up with that evidence. Now, he is just sounding bitter that Edgar Lungu dismissed him. That’s how some of us take him. He is a bitter man. The people that he is fighting with, bena Jean Kapata and them, were his allies in PF. I tell you, if I open my mouth and told you what I know about some of the things going on in PF, you would be shocked. And the country will be shocked. For me I can produce evidence. What I’m saying to ba Kambwili is to do the same. You can’t reason that just because you were in government, so whatever you say is true even without evidence. That is shocking in terms of logic.”
3 Responses
Wynter! Oh Wynter!
You say evidence is everywhere with people you live with. Why dont you report to the ACC?
You are essentially saying no one is above the law in Zambia. From under what rock have you crawled? With the evidence of impropriety from the Auditor General who gets burnt? Nobody!
Who has prosecuted ECL for abrogation of the Constitution when the Constitution was filed? Nobody!
Who prosecuted ECL when the Courts ruled that the Ministers were in office illegally after Parliament was dissolved? Nobody!
With all the evidence all over the streets, who is prosecuting? Nobody!
Let’s not be too quick to condemn those who are actually doing something about it.
I am not endorsing him for casting aspersion on anyone but he learned that from your late teacher!
Winter lishilu kabili cipuba. Your friends are fighting for the voiceless. But you are fighting for your stupidity. Leave Kambwili alone, he has already crossed the river. Just remain behind barking like a lost wild dog
Mr. Kabimba you could be right to some extent by saying Hon. Kambwili is not being mature in the way he criticized ba Mumbi Phiri and her family. Yes that is wrong and we are glad our sister and ba Phiri have shown maturity in the way they have reacted. Congrats Madam.please accept CK’s apology he strayed and is only human.
Now comming to the real issue ba Kabimba you must be happy that CK is doing what you guys in Oposotion are failing to do, That is holding the party in power accountable to the people!
You must understand that a lot of us are now lost and you are not providing checks and balances then you want to say Kambwili is childish but he is blowing that trumpet so loud with his huge body as you call it. Efyo tulefwaya a brave person so don’t fight him rather entice him as the UPND have wisely done. You have even failed to denounce the $1.2bn road with facts as Rainbow.