LUSAKA Province Minister Bowman Lusambo says he is happy that UPND members of parliament are more concerned about his generous donations rather than concentrate on campaigning for the upcoming August 12 elections.
Reacting to Nkeyema UPND MP Kapelwa Mbangetwa’s remarks that Lusmabo’s donations were tantamount to money laundering, Lusambo argued that UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema had turned his members of parliament into dunderheads, empty tins.
Recently, Lusambo donated K300,000 cash to Kabushi residents for the construction of Kapalala market saying it was a gift from President Edgar Lungu.
“So Zambians have to have K2, that is a very useless statement! Being in opposition doesn’t mean you will rule this country, there are people who have been dying in opposition. As politicians, we have to be very intelligent, but I can see a lot of dull politicians especially in opposition, very dull! They can’t read the political landscape, they can’t read the political mood. Politics is not about degrees, doctorates and masters it doesn’t matter especially in African politics. African politics you have to read the situation, you have to read the political landscape. For me, the behaviour of the UPND members, some of them it reflects how Hakainde thinks as well. You can even see the way they reason in Parliament, they don’t use their heads. Hakainde has made UPND MPs to be dunderheads, empty tins,” Lusambo said.
“Us we are working and we will continue working and I am happy they are questioning me now instead of concentrating on campaigning, he is talking about Bowman. Bowman is campaigning in his constituency, he is adding on the numbers. Again when we win in 2021 ‘they have stolen our votes’, they are just useless people. Let them just tell me where they need donations, I will go there, I will help them. Ask Hakainde where he needs me to go and donate even in his house, I can buy mealie meal for him, I can buy relish for him, I can help him. I know he has money but he is very stingy. Money is there to be used, if you can’t use your money give it to the people who are in need, then you are useless. All of us have a life span, one day we will die.”
Lusambo said he would not be stopped from donating by “visionless” people.
“Whatever things you do in government, we do in the name of the President and we go to the President to lobby. We are lobbying for the market, we are lobbying for this. The UPND MPs have to fight for nomination fees, they have to fight for campaigns, they have to fight for everything. At the end of the day you come to Parliament and you are being controlled by this stingy man. That is ridiculous! For me I say, my cousin from Western Province let him just join PF, when you join PF, it is a progressive party and you will see a lot of development happening in your area. For me, we will continue giving and I will be giving this weekend. I won’t be derailed by those visionless people,” Lusambo said.
“We are not poppers, I started giving when I was very far from the corridors of power. People were not noticing that, when I came into the limelight and the corridors of power now they want to start questioning my giving? Go back to your archives. If they didn’t question me then why now? Just because I am in government office. Being in government office, I have a lot of opportunities, I have well wishers just because of my leadership style. I have a lot of people who follow me and I have a lot of people who say ‘my friend me I just like you, I want to help you in your constituency’.”
Lusambo said he used to compete with late president Micheal Sata on the political scene.
“There is no UPND to talk about, nothing! All those who are there are MMD, they tell me whatever is happening in the party. The good part is that UPND knows that 2021 they can’t win. If we tell you that ECL beyond 2021 we know what we are talking about. Hichilema is my brother, when we are out of politics he is my elder brother and I will give him that respect. In politics, he has come on the wrong fora. Hakainde can’t compete with me and when I tell that then people start saying ‘Bowman who do you think you are?’ I have experience in this thing. UPND is more like my shop, I know everything that happens in UPND. People ask me ‘why don’t you fear Hakainde Hichilema?’ Why should I be afraid of Hichilema? In Zambia we had a politician, may his soul rest in peace, Micheal Chilufya Sata, me I was competing with ba Micheal. Now why should I be afraid of Hakainde? Ala!” exclaimed Lusambo.