It’s Self-Deception To Trigger Anti-Kalaba Campaign In Luapula, Says PF Member

PF member Gift Kalumba says it is shameful that a delegation of Luapula Province parliamentarians went into Bahati constituency last week to disparage area PF member of parliament Harry Kalaba.

And Kalumba, who recently resigned as Kitwe district PF deputy information and publicity secretary, says it is self-deception for Luapula Province members of parliament to try and trigger an anti-Kalaba campaign because Zambians are no longer susceptible to political lies.
Following his resignation as a foreign minister last month, the ruling PF has continued giving Kalaba a cold shoulder, while agitating for his resignation as a member of parliament and to leave the party.

But Kalumba said while Kalaba abdicated the presidential prerogative to serve as a minister, he still had the mandate of the people of Bahati constituency to continue as a lawmaker, hence he deserved respect.

“Let me make a comment on what Honourable [Chitalu] Chilufya and his team of MPs that visited Luapula Province said, particularly in Bahati when they said the people of Bahati nabashala abana banshiwa (have remained as orphans). It’s very shameful to say such a thing under the political dispensation that we have today. First of all, Honourable Chilufya is a member of parliament and he should have thought wise before making that statement…Has Honourable Kalaba resigned as a member of parliament? He is still a member of the Patriotic Front! So, how do the people of Bahati become political orphans when their member of parliament is still fully committed to their parliamentary representative,” Kalumba said in an interview in Kitwe.

“Dr Chilufya is an educated person and we call on him not to be a cadre. We are very disappointed that a high ranking person like a doctor can bring himself [down] and start to behave like a cadre. You cannot say a parliamentary seat is vacant when there is no vacancy. We all know that the only thing Honourable Kalaba did was to resign from his ministerial position to serve the people of Bahati from the back bench. Probably, the ministry was making him busy…The man only left the prerogative of the President but he still holds the prerogative.”

He accused Dr Chilufya, who is also Mansa Central PF member of parliament, of hurting the image of the ruling party.

“People like Honourable Chilufya abaishile pa chililo mu PF (who joined PF during a funeral service) are damaging the image of the Patriotic Front. That programme of MPs in Luapula was just a [counter] response to what happened when Honourable Kalaba went there, how he was welcomed. Where have those MPs been all along? That’s the question you should ask! Remember that the people of Zambia at one time used the words ‘Don’t Kubeba’ and so, if they (MPs who recently toured Luapula Province) are trying to cheat the President in order to maintain their positions as ministers or maintain their relevance on the political scenario, they are lying to themselves. Zambians are not stupid people – they are enlightened,” said Kalumba.

“So, those MPs should respect other members of parliament. In fact, it is unethical to go and tour developmental projects in a constituency without the seating member of parliament for that area. So, it is a shame! My call is that let them respect Honourable Kalaba’s decision to resign.”

Two weeks after his resignation, Kalaba went to Luapula where he drew a huge cheery crowd of supporters at Mansa Airport.
After Kalaba’s unsettling support in the province, the province’s PF members of parliament went on a week-long district to district political campaign, disguised as a tour of ‘developmental’ projects.

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