Chilangwa Brushes MMD Off Over His Disability

Home affairs deputy minister Nickson Chilangwa says he has overcome the stigma of disability since childhood and is not ashamed to be in his state.
In a statement after a group of MMD members mocked him over his disability during a campaign rally addressed by party president Nevers Mumba at St Mary’s Catholic Church grounds on Sunday, Chilangwa said it would not worry him for the former ruling party to use his disability as a campaign issue.
“If Nevers Mumba and his campaign team want to make my disability a campaign issue, that is not a problem, they are welcome because l am not ashamed to have a disability and Mumba and his team should know I have overcome the stigma of disability since l was a child and l don’t even feel it,” Chilangwa said in a statement.
Chilangwa explained that he had not used his disability to gain anything but that he had risen and would continue rising.
“I will continue to rise through the rank and file due to hard work, selflessness, focus, commitment, loyalty, godly attributes and as a matter of fact disability is not inability,” Chilangwa stated.
On his predecessor, Elizabeth Chitika- Molobeka’s claims that he had disappeared after being elected Kawambwa member of parliament, Chilangwa said the people of Kawambwa knew him better.
Chitika accused Chilangwa of not visiting the constituency and wondered why he only appeared during campaigns for the by-election.
Chitika’s accusations were backed by Mumba.
But Chilangwa stated that claims by Mumba and Chitika were not justified and a misinterpretation of facts because he visited the constituency on a regular basis.
“l am sure the people of Kawambwa know me better than they knew ba Elizabeth and they will never know ba Nevers Mumba, the so-called president of MMD. But the big question is what are the people of Kawambwa or the people of Zambia looking for? Is it the disability in me, or the physical capacity to deliver real development and meet their aspirations?” he asked.
Chilangwa stated that Kawambwa had recorded unprecedented development since his election as member of parliament.
“If the streetlights in Kawambwa, the new water project, the ZAFFICO project, the ongoing construction of six health centres, the Zambia Army 48 Marine Barrack, the Kawambwa via Mushota-Luwingu Road, upcoming township roads, revamping of Kawambwa Tea, a new palace for chief Munkanta, completion of Munkanta Market, a new modern market in Matelo, funding of nearly 100 women and youth clubs through various empowerment platforms amongst many other upcoming projects were not benchmarks in meeting the aspirations of our people, then people have the right to replace me,” he said.
“What has happened in Kawambwa in the last three years and what will happen by 2016 in comparison to what happened in the 20 years of the MMD rule? The questions which beg answers are: am I a runaway MP as stated by Nevers Mumba and Chitika, like he (Mumba) ran away first from his church and secondly from his own party like a duck? The answer is a big NO, because l have been to Kawambwa over 20 times since I got elected as MP and this year alone, I have been in Kawambwa seven times, which averages about one visit per month,” Chilangwa explained.
“Information is there at the constituency office for verification. Therefore, Mr Mumba and Madam Chitika should not just open their mouths openly without substance. It looks like this election is not about replacing the councillor… rather, [it’s] about me naba Nevers Mumba.”
Chilangwa declared that he was ready to take on Mumba if he wished to declare war on him.

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Posted by Editor on July 29, 2014. Filed under LATEST NEWS. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry