CHISHIMBA Kambwili has justified his attacks on the Patriotic Front and the subsequent return to the ruling party, saying “life is dynamic just like technology”.

Kambwili who is also former Chief Government spokesperson says the remarks he made against President Edgar Lungu were not meant to stand a lifetime.

Meanwhile, Kambwili says he is not broke, bragging that he has more than 70 properties in Zambia and in England.

In an interview, Kambwili said he was not the only person who embraced a politician whom he had earlier been attacking, citing an instance in 2013 when UPND president Hakainde Hichilema called Guy Scott “Muzungu opusa” (a stupid white man).

The embattled leader of the National Democratic Congress has come under heavy public condemnation for returning to the PF after leading an aggressive campaign against President Edgar Lungu and the ruling party.

The former minister had vowed that he would never return to PF because President Lungu was a corrupt president leading a corrupt government.

In April, 2019 during a campaign rally to drum up support for the NDC candidate Joseph Chishala in the Roan Constituency parliamentary by-election, Kambwili had said it was not possible for President Lungu to see corruption in his government because he was part of it.

He said a person who farts does not smell anything, and since corruption was President Lungu’s fart, it was impossible for him to identify it.

“Umwine wachisushi tafwisa amate. Kuti umuntu nga anya ichisushi, nangu chinunke shani, tamwakamumfwe ati uuhm uuhm! But abapalemeko baumfwa ati awe apa pabipa. Efili ba Lungu lelo. Ba Lungu bene bachisushi. Tabaleumfwa ukununka kwachisushi. Bene ba corruption, tabaleumfwa corruption ilimo pantu nabo niba corruption. (You will never hear the one who farts complain about the smell of it. It’s those around him who will smell the fart. That’s how Mr Lungu is today. He can’t smell his fart. He is the mastermind of corruption hence he can’t see it because he is part of corruption),” Kambwili said.

When asked, Wednesday, about the past comments he made, Kambwili said opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema also once called the former vice-president a stupid white man, yet he had now appointed him as his advisor.

“HH called Guy Scott ‘muzungu opusa, (stupid white man) ‘the most useless white man I have seen’ when he was appointing the National Management Committee, he gave him the position of chief advisor, muzungu opusa. What is good for the goose should be good for the gander,” Kambwili said.

He said life was dynamic and there was nothing sinister.

“But I will issue a statement at an appropriate time. All I can say is that life is dynamic, it is not static; just like technology, it is dynamic,” he explained.

He said in politics, differences were not for life.

If you differ nomunobe lelo (with your friend today) it doesn’t mean that you differ throughout the rest of your life. Christ was hanged and as he was dying he said ‘forgive them father for they don’t know what they have done.’ So forgiveness is divine. So I am not making comments on all those things ‘ba pompwe’ (thief). I am still the NDC president and people are still following me,” Kambwili said .

And speaking to journalists soon after his court appearance, Thursday, Kambwili said he has only been reduced to an average businessman but cannot be broke as he owns over 70 properties in Zambia and others in England.

Asked whether he was courting the PF because of money, Kambwili responded emphatically saying he had never been broke in his life.

“I have never been broke in my life, even all this time I have been squeezed, have you ever seen me walking? Have my children pulled out of school? Have I looked poor? Look at how I am looking nice. My income was reduced, my income has been reduced but I cannot be broke. I own over 70 properties in this country, how can I be broke? I am not like [Edward] Mumbi who is talking to you, I own over 70 houses, I get rent every month, go to my house and see how many vehicles I drive. I have got properties in England, how can I be broke? I have only been reduced to an average businessman, I am not broke,” he emphasised.

And Kambwili charged that if Zambians voted for “that man”, even reporters would be arrested every week.

He however, refused to point out the said “man” he was referring to.

“And I can tell you, if Zambian people make a mistake to vote for that man, even you will not stand here to ask me a question because they will not let you,” Kambwili said.

Asked who the said man was, Kambwili said “excuse me, don’t put words in my mouth! I have said that man, and I will not mention his name. Even you as reporters will be arrested every week and locked up. I was there.”

Further asked whether he was still relevant to the country’s politics, Kambwili responded in the affirmative.

“One statement I issued at the PF convention, the whole country is talking about it, how do I become irrelevant? How many opposition political parties spoke there? Five of them but there is only one statement which is being discussed. That shows how relevant I am,” he said.

Meanwhile, Kambwili said the other NDC grouping was working to fulfil their own interests and nothing else.

“Imwe [Josephs] Akafumba naimwe, why should I be answering Akafumba? Are you sure I have betrayed the Zambian people? Between you and me, tell Akafumba that he is the one who has betrayed the Zambian people to go and support a program that is meant for certain individuals for their certain use, for their certain interests. In life, there comes a time when you compare what people want to achieve in life, are they doing it for the people of Zambia, for their individual egos and for their own interests? That grouping is for their own interest nothing else,” said Kambwili.