Governance activist Brebner Changala says it will be difficult for Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba (GBM) to rise from the ashes like a phoenix and walk with dignity, charging that the former UPND vice-president has ended his political career by re-joining PF.

On Tuesday, Mwamba resigned from the opposition UPND, citing irreparable differences with party president Hakainde Hichilema.

He also apologised to President Edgar Lungu for the insults he showered on the Head of State, barely two weeks after declaring that he would never rejoin the PF because it was a party of thieves.

Commenting on GBM’s U-turn, Changala said the decision by GBM to re-join the ruling party was unacceptable and urged politicians not to take politics as a “piggy bank” where they would rush to loot whenever they got broke.

“The defection of GBM to PF is an indication of how low we have dropped as a society in terms of morals, decency and the norms that govern us as human beings. The norms that separate us from the dogs and to make us human beings is that a human being must have a feeling for others and a sense of shame when things are not going right. GBM has no luxury to take the people of Zambia for granted. In less than a week, you cannot say that ‘I am not going to cross over to PF because they are a sinking Titanic, they are a bunch of criminals, thieves’ and everything unprintable about PF, then within a week you resign from the party that you claim you so much loved and supported to go back and join a band wagon of thieves and criminals! And you want to profess that you are going to join PF in order to lead the people of Zambia to a better future? That doesn’t add up,” Changala said.

He charged that time had come for GBM to leave politics, saying his actions were not giving any hope and that there was no morality in his conduct.

“GBM has disgraced this country! That kind of leadership is not needed in this day and age. But I want to put it plainly to these politicians; please do not take politics as a piggy bank where you all rush when you have run out of coins to go and participate in the looting! GBM has been boasting for too long that he’s a very rich man and he’s self-sustaining, indeed, if he is, let him stay away from politics because politics is a calling and a service to humanity. Politics is not a game for those who want to participate in the destruction of the Treasury. Let him take a rest, if he really wants to serve humanity, let him start an orphanage, a social club or anything that will add value to the under-privileged and those in need,” Changala said.

He added that by re-joining PF, GBM had not only betrayed Zambians, but had permanently destroyed his own political career.

“The action by GBM is unacceptable by any standard in this 21st century and my take is that, PF has become a reservoir and a dumping ground for all political rejects, especially those that want to participate in the economic destruction of our country. As you may know, the economy is on a downward spiral trend, it’s a damaged economy and any reasonable and sensible citizen cannot take pride in what GBM has done, to go and give credence to the criminality that is prevalent in the Patriotic Front and as you might see, the PF leadership is extremely cautious and yet joyous to accept Mr Mwamba. They are a bit cautious because GBM is very dangerous dynamite because he’s unpredictable! He boasts of everything, that he’s a political heavyweight, he’s a financial heavyweight and as his own physical appearance shows, he’s also physically heavy. But what is important is that you cannot betray the very people you claim you want to serve. Because his actions in the last one week are that of betrayal and dishonesty, and that of banditry conduct where you take your fellow citizens for granted,” said Changala.

“I might be right or I might be wrong, but GBM’s political career is nothing but over! Whatever he’s going to do, it will take time for him to rise from ashes like a phoenix. He has buried himself alive. It will be very difficult to walk the talk, to walk the line of dignity, honesty and integrity. I say ‘bye, bye’ to Mr GBM, the heavyweight of everything.”