FORMER PF deputy secretary general Mumbi Phiri says Zambians celebrate education so much such that if one too feaces and bestowed on them a degree or professorship, citizens would start clapping for them.
Meanwhile, acting PF president Given Lubinda says the feud between former Phiri and Professor Nkandu Luo is not a party matter, but a family affair.
In a viral audio, Phiri accused Luo of being a liar and boastful, adding that the country could have been destroyed had the PF won with Luo as running mate.
Her reaction followed a phone conversation which has gone viral in which Prof Luo was heard telling Lyson Zulu how Phiri was raised in their house and how she later sponsored her parliamentary campaigns.
In a follow up interview, Phiri said she had nothing to apologise for, insisting that it is good that PF lost the polls because Zambia didn’t need a lying Vice-President.
“Apologise for what? It is coming from my heart! It is true [that] if we had ba Nkandu as vice-president of this country, a liar…when you are educated you lie, it is very difficult for people to know because mu Zambia tuchita worship education noti wisdom. Umuntu ngali sambilila, nangu fye mwabula amafi mwayapela degree nangu professorship kuti baleya totela. (In Zambia, we worship education instead of wisdom. When a person is learned, even if you get feaces and bestow on them a degree or professorship, people will start clapping for them). That is the way Zambians are,” Phiri said.
“She was claiming she brought me up, can a child grow up in five years? She was lying that it was her that left a seat for me. I just speak the truth and I speak the way I am feeling. And I repeat, it is good we lost [rather] than having a liar as vice-president of the country. Lying in the name of education. I am still very angry. I don’t like people who lie.”
And Phiri said she would never join UPND because she was not a political prostitute.
“I have heard some people saying maybe I want to go to the ruling party. That will never happen. In Zambia, people are used to being political prostitutes. I will never be! I will die as PF. And ba UPND, feel very comfortable, I am not coming to join you. That will never happen, don’t even speculate. I am a very principled woman. In this time and age, because of my principles, that is why I have been married to one man for 32 years. So don’t think I am coming to join UPND,” said Phiri.
When called for a reaction, Prof Luo was unavailable by press time.
Meanwhile, in a separate interview, when asked how the party would resolve such infighting, Lubinda said the party should not be involved in a family affair.
He added that the party was not interested in knowing who raised who.
“Are you sure it is a party matter? Are they talking about the party? Don’t get the party involved in a family affair. When they talk about who brought up who and so on is that a party matter? Is the party interested to know who raised who?” asked Lubinda.
