GBM Tells Supporters That He’s A Mere ‘Kaponya’ With A Heart For Zambians

Kasama member of parliament Geoffrey Mwamba yesterday urged members of the PF central committee to be wise.
Addressing supporters shortly after he announced his intentions to offer himself for adoption as the PF’s presidential candidate at the forthcoming general conference, Mwamba warned of the possibility of chaos if wise decisions are not taken. “If we are not careful, we can cause chaos,” he warned. “Those in the central committee should be wise.” Mwamba said all have to participate freely in the adoption process. “What I don’t want is 63 or 70 people to say ‘We have chosen a candidate’. When they became MPs, were they hand-picked?” he asked.
And Mwamba told his supporters that he is a mere kaponya (a call boy) with a heart for Zambians. “Ine ndi fye kaponya munenu. (I am your fellow call boy),” he said. “Bonse mwe beshile ukufumina ku ma ten provinces, ndefwaya ukumitotela. Ninjipela ukwiminina as president (I want to thank all of you that have come from the 10 provinces. I have offered myself to run for president). We have lost a mentor, nomba batila ati, ‘Pafwa abantu, pashala abantu’ (They say, people die while others remain).” Mwamba claimed that he was one of those who were in the forefront when Michael Sata was in the opposition. “Twaleba na ba Sata.
Ni fwe twalemonekela kuntanshi. Bambi tabalefwaya ukwenda na ba Sata (We used to be with Sata. We were the ones in the forefront while others did not want to be seen with him),” he said. And addressing journalists earlier, Mwamba said he would make a good Republican president. “I have so much love and passion for the country. That is why I feel I can make a good president if the people in the party and the people of Zambia think I should serve them,” he said. Mwamba said although he was not highly educated, he was full of wisdom. “If I am to ask you, we have had how many presidents? How many of them were highly educated? What is important is wisdom. You yourselves know that I am a successful businessman, isn’t it?” he said. Mwamba said he was popular and he did not have to be marketed by the PF. “My name, GBM, has not been sold by PF. In fact, I added value to PF because a prosperous businessman joined PF.
My name contributed to the forming of government of PF. Even today, I am not in government, am I not popular today? I can cite one example. If you want, let us take a walk in Cairo Road, me and you,” he said. “I have been a businessman and I inspire a lot of young men because I only have a humble education.
I am not a degree holder, but God knew why he did not take me to university.” Mwamba said there was no anointed candidate. And Mwamba has dared the members of parliament who are threatening to dissolve parliament if central committee is not allowed to adopt Edgar Lungu as the party’s presidential candidate to resign.
He said the party had heard that a group of members of parliament were planning to hijack the presidency. “Let them resign. Most of them will not come back…I can still retain my seat in Kasama, so if they want, let them go ahead,” said Mwamba. “That is being irresponsible, and I am sure if the people that elected them to go to Parliament would be told that those are their intentions, I don’t think they will come back to see the doors of Parliament another time. If they resign, they will be decampaigning themselves. They are not there to serve their selfish interests. Most of them, their fear is they may not be adopted or they are hoping that probably Edgar Lungu may be president so he would appoint them. That is unfortunate. When you are a parliamentarian, you are a servant of the people, not a servant of your pocket.” A group of PF members of parliament held a media briefing on Sunday where they threatened not to pass the 2015 national budget if Lungu is not adopted as the party’s candidate in the presidential by election.
Speaking through Lupososhi member of parliament Lazarus Bwalya, the members of parliament warned that they would not hesitate to boycott Parliament should acting President Scott refuse to respect their decision to adopt Lungu as their preferred candidate. “Let me warn Dr Scott, and the cartel he is working with, that we are tabling the issue of the national budget and they know the consequences if we boycott [Parliament].
And if they push us against the wall, we are ready [to boycott Parliament],” he said. “We are saying enough is enough…Let them try to go against the decision of the over 70 members of parliament who have adopted Edgar Lungu, then they will see,” said Bwalya.
And Northern Province minister Freedom Sikazwe said acting President Scott wanted to bring anarchy in the nation because he had a second country he and his family could run to for safety.

Posted by Kunda (online) on November 18, 2014. Filed under LATEST NEWS. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.