MUMBI PHIRI GOES FOR DR. KASEBA
…..Kaseba is a disgrace, charges Mumbi Phiri, she never believed in the political prowess of her husband…
By Angela Muchinshi,
4th November 2024
CHRISTINE Kaseba would laugh at us when we wore PF Chitenges with Sata’s portrait, saying we were wearing another man’s face on our buttocks, says former PF deputy secretary general Mumbi Phiri.
Phiri further says the former first lady should not worry about PF not being on the ballot in 2026, as the party is already gone, which is why they have a plan B.
Dr Kaseba recently warned that the PF would not be on the ballot in 2026 if they failed to resolve their internal wrangles. She added that Sata would be disappointed with the current status of the party he worked hard to form and grow.
Commenting on this in an interview, Thursday, Phiri charged that Dr Kaseba was a disgrace to womanhood and added that Sata would be disappointed with her for aspiring to take over his party shortly after his death.
“Sata would be disappointed with her because when Sata died, he didn’t expect the wife to immediately start crying to become a president of a party that she didn’t belong to. It was the husband who was PF. Sometimes I remember when she saw us wearing chitenge with her husband’s portrait she even used to laugh at us that we were wearing the face of another man on our buttocks. I don’t know what she’s saying. Ask her where did she suffer? Because as far as I know she wasn’t a member. It’s sad. Sata was blunt, if he was alive and heard that woman say that, I’m sure he would have reminded her of what she was telling women who were wearing the chitenge,” Phiri said.
“And that’s a lesson to all you young people that marry properly. You’re a journalist, you marry a kamalasha (charcoal burner) you don’t know that when you’re sleeping your husband is admiring your job. It’s a lesson to you young people, choose properly. Which normal person can have a spouse die today and tomorrow they start aspiring for their position? In Zambia we have only seen two, herself and the late Mwanawasa, they are a disgrace to womanhood. Our husbands now even look at us with a different eye because they really set a bad example. So the husband cannot be disappointed with any PF member except herself”.
Phiri said with or without PF on the ballot, President Hakainde Hichilema would go in 2026.
“I’ve been saying when Miles Sampa started claiming that it’s his uncle’s party, from what I know Miles Sampa and Sata are not related in any way, but he started claiming that it’s his uncle’s party and he wants to take it. I said let Miles Sampa take his perceived uncle’s party, let’s get something else and that’s where I stand. As Mumbi Phiri I know that there’s no PF, Miles took the perceived uncle’s party and I’m not bothered because I know there’s plan B. Kaseba doesn’t know what she’s talking about. With or without PF the fact is HH is going. Whether ‘Nevers Mumba shall be saved’ endorses HH, UPND is going. To me PF is long gone,” Phiri said.
“And wasn’t she with the president of the PF at the cathedral? Both of them were there. Miles Sampa who has papers, Chabinga who President Hakainde has put. So how can she say that? Us we have plan B so she shouldn’t worry about us. She should just leave us. Maybe she can negotiate with those two, if she wants to make sure that PF will be on the ballot, since they are just changing, she should get very close to President Hakainde Hichilema, she might be given and her wish will be fulfilled to become president of the PF”.
Phiri also wondered why the Sata family were now suddenly commenting on the PF wrangles.
“I’ve been vindicated now by her comment because I’ve been saying those who claim to be Sata’s relatives were quiet. Did you see Kaseba who’s talking now speaking when those PF wrangles started? I don’t know what she’s talking about. But whatever the case, the fact is UPND is going out whether the President has got glue on the seat, he’s going. He will go with that chair, a new one will be made. Wasn’t Mulenga Sata another person who was fighting for the father’s position? He also wanted to be president. That family is very questionable, the mother was on the left, the son on the right, the in-laws in front and the cousins at the back,” said Phiri.
“Unless they show me that when Sata was making that party there was somewhere he wrote that it belonged to the relatives. Can you have energy, your father is dead before he’s even buried you are campaigning, and every Zambian saw the behaviour of Mulenga Sata. A clan which has no tradition is dead, like the Sata’s clan, they are dead because they don’t know their protocol. It is the nephews and the nieces like Sylvia Chalikosa who have a say over the uncle. Where have you ever seen a widow speaking on behalf of the family? Is she related to Mr Sata? Clear lack of culture. If Sylvia Chalikosa was the one speaking I could have seen sense, not all those, those are just uncultured fellows”.