CHISHIMBA KAMBWILI: THE TRAGIC CASE OF A POOR ACTOR WITH SELECTIVE AMNESIA PLAYING TO AN EMPTY GALLERY

By Sunday Chilufya Chanda

As our nation matures and draws closer towards celebrating 54 years of self-determination, the majority of ordinary Zambians are becoming increasingly perceptive in discerning political leadership.

Very few of our citizens would therefore fall prey to the poverty of critical thinking which our wayward brother Chishimba Kambwili has unfortunately been practicing.

The mire has become his element and he seeks to draw everybody including the Church and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) into his marshy arena.

It is shocking that a former senior government official, like Kambwili has suddenly and conveniently developed an odd type of selective of amnesia that seems to have made him forget that the ACC operates independently and that it follows laid down procedures. He has opted to play to the gallery. 

However to the majority of Zambians, his talent for play acting and his performances are as convincing a snake trying to play the part of a lion. The more he tries to play “goody two shoes” the more he exposes his duplicity. He should for his own sake concentrate on redeeming himself from his conflicts with the law and other related investigations and court appearances.

Kambwili also appears to have forgotten the meaning of “democracy”. It appears his understanding of democracy is very similar to his understanding of morality. It is glaringly none existent …there is a gap between the ears.

It is very unfortunate that our aberrant brother’s desperation has sank to the lowest point that he now seeks to draw the Church into his personal agenda to redeem his sullied credibility and to chuck his muck on others. That is profanity- we shall not say more on the matter, as we do not wish to be unwitting partakers of his sacrilege.

Mr Chishimba Kambwili needs help. Nobody trusts him and nobody wants him. His life is turning into one big troubled drama - a comic tragedy of sorts.

The sad irony is that anyone trying to engage our belligerent brother in rational discourse faces three major obstacles; his bloated ego, his forked tongue and his morbid affinity for the mire.
His case gives a modern day context to the Scripture that cautions against: “casting pearls before the swine”.

Everyone knows Chishimba Kambwili cannot be trusted. He still bears the disrepute and notoriety of being the first the only, and probably the last Cabinet Minister to have been shunted around four different ministries in a space of about 6 months.
He typically tries to hide his ineptitude behind the mask of a brave big talker. He talks tough but thinks weak.

Chishimba the thespian feigns loyalty, friendship and alliances just as he bizarrely  simulates illness and puts on a show of fainting just to avoid the consequences of his miscreant behaviour. 
He lost the plot many scenes and many stages ago. 

Kambwili is only consistent in one thing; going against his own word.

The opposition is a vital part of our democracy for alternative ideas.
However, being in the “opposition” doesn’t mean opposing just for the sake of it.  As President Edgar Lungu has said on several occasions, “The people of Zambia are the bosses, who need to be served faithfully”.

This political belief firmly held by His Excellency President Edgar Chagwa Lungu is synonymous with “practicing politics as a noble activity”.

Politics only become noble when they are  genuinely focused on securing the best interests of the people, societal cohesion, culture, people’s welfare, a desired future, and a beautiful country.

This is what we must all embrace.

We welcome constructive criticism – not cynicism. 

Ends…//…
The author is the PF Media Director
At the Patriotic Front Secretariat
In Lusaka