President Hichilema is a nationalist, we just want to be unfair to him!
GUEST ARTICLE: President Hichilema is a nationalist, we just want to be unfair to him!
By Prince Bill M. Kaping’a
A nationalist is a person who loves their own country strongly and puts its interests first, above any foreign power, party or tribe! This is a perfect definition of HH although doomsayers and naysayers will always argue otherwise, of course.
This is a particular President who has gone out of the way to assemble a Cabinet that represents a national character; including giving jobs to total strangers who were never in the trenches such as former Mines Minister, Paul Kabuswe at the risk of facing a backlash from die hard party loyalists.
I remember being embroiled in a bitter argument with a former MP from N/western province who kept insisting that he should have been considered for the position instead of new comers.
“No Hon. I beg to differ with you on that one,” I argued. “We should support the President in his efforts to reunite the country through his appointments unlike the previous administration.”
Before we interrogate his recent nominations of MPs and indeed the previous ones, let’s consider President Sata’s nominees: 1. Alexander Chikwanda 2. Panji Kaunda 3. Joseph Kasonde 4. Solomon Mbuzi 5. John Phiri 6. Robert Sichinga 7. Ngosa Simbyakula 8. Sebastian Zulu 8. Only two regions were represented here….nangula tapa soswa? This was a national scandal!
We now come to President Lungu: 1. Davis Chama 2. Bwalya Ngandu 3. Joyce Nonde 4. Godfridah Sumaili 5. Richard Kapita 6.. Edify Hamukale 7. Raphael Nakachinda 8. Nathaniel Mubukwanu. Although Lungu tried to embrace a few people from the Zambezi provinces, in the eyes of PF, they were considered only fit to hold Provincial Ministerial positions. Did I hear somebody whisper hewers of wood and drawers of water?
However, as some people kept accusing President Hichilema of tribalism, this is what he presented to the nation in his first term: 1. Felix Mutati 2. Doreen Mwamba 3. Peter Kapala 4. Elias Mubanga 5. Charles Milupi 6. Likando Mufalali 7. Mutinta Mazoka 8. Elisha Matambo. Almost all the regions are represented! Where is the tribalism here?
As he commences his second term, he has continued to prove his critics wrong. Let’s consider those that have been nominated so far: 1. Mulambo Haimbe 2. Roma Chilengi 3. Noel Nkhoma 4. Gilbert Siame 5. Mubita Anakoka. 5 regions are ably represented. Although he’s yet to conclude this exercise; we still believe he won’t let the nation down.
Let’s learn to give praise where it is due for once!
Prince Bill M. Kaping’a
Secretary General
HH Mpaka 2O31 People’s Alliance
Zambezi