I HAVE decided to trim down so I can go in the shop and buy what I want because I love clothes; I’m a big buyer, says UPND vice-president Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba.

And Mwamba, popularly known as GBM, says President Edgar Lungu should stop consuming alcohol, stressing that one must be in control of their body and not the other way round.

Meanwhile, GBM has stressed that he is still financially “very strong”.

Answering the question ‘what has made you lose weight,’ when he featured on Prime TV’s Oxygen of Democracy programme on Monday night, GBM explained that he was on a low-calorie diet.

“Very good question! Unfortunately some Zambians are so naive – they think whoever loses weight it’s something to do with AIDS, suffering and what have you. Unfortunately, I’m still financially strong – that one is not debatable! Let me tell you; one day Edgar Lungu was on a podium [and] he said ba GBM nolufumo lwabo (Mr GBM with his potbelly) – he was teasing me! I heard him and I said oh that’s what he said! So, he thinks I can’t trim down? I went to South Africa [and] saw dietician – very young girl; 24 years old! She told me that she can give me a diet [and] that was last year [in] August,”

GBM said.

“I will tell you; I’m on vegetables, I went on diet. I have been on diet since that time. I lose 1kg a week! All I eat is vegetables; salads, that’s all! Vegetables [with] no cooking oil… I don’t take sugar, I don’t take milk, I don’t ‘take’ nshima, I don’t ‘take’ rice, I don’t take coca cola, I take tea with no sugar, no milk. Mornings I only take yoghurt. I have special type of biscuits which I eat if I feel hungry. Meat I only take 120 grammes – that’s maximum and that should be three times a week. I’m on a strict diet and I was at 147 kg and I’m now at 117kg. I only want to lose another 7kg and at 110kg, I stop. Then you will see me with a new wardrobe – new suits, new everything.”

He said he opted to lose weight to maximise his options for what he could wear.

“I have decided to trim down because I want to go in the shop and buy what I want because I love clothes. I’m a big buyer! Come into my house; I have over a thousand shirts, thousand trousers, suits, you can mention them. Each time, I had to call someone from Hong Kong to come and measure me. [But] I said come on; I can work on it because I’m principled. The way I have made it in business, that’s the way I can even make it to reduce my weight,” GBM explained, authoritatively.
“What you think about me is your job. But what is important is myself – I love myself. I can walk in a shop now; every month I’m in Jo’burg, I walk in a shop and say ‘can I have 10 shirts.’ That’s what I wanted. I didn’t want to be calling somebody to be flying in from Hong Kong to come and start measuring me.”

And GBM has advised President Lungu to stop drinking beer.

“If you come; those who eat with me at home…Let me tell you; I did it purposely. I would like also Edgar to emulate me because we talk about his drinking habits – let him also stop drinking. You must be in control of your body [and] not the body being in control of you. For your information, my mother died a very, very huge person – ask our all my relatives, the Chikwandas. They will tell you,”

GBM said.

He also shared that 30 to 40 years ago, he used to smoke but that his mother and his wife were not happy about that attitude.

“I stopped! 38 years ago, I was with Mr Chikwanda, my cousin – ask him. I used to be a heavy drinker. My wife was complaining, my late mother was complaining – ‘you drink a lot!’ I used to come [back] from Kafue [at] 2 AM because that time beer was so scarce. So, we used to go and buy or drink beer from Mwanamainda. So, my mother was not quite happy, my wife was not happy. I stopped and I have never drank beer in the last 40 years. In short, I’m a very disciplined man and I know who I am. Financially, very strong! Inside and outside or worldwide, I’m GBM – very strong,”

GBM said.

Earlier on the programme, GBM pledged that a UPND government would decisively deal with corruption, especially involving senior government officials, because the party’s leader, Hakainde Hichilema, is “a no nonsense man” to matters of corruption.

“To end corruption [we are going to] deal with corrupt people. Simple! The report is presented to the President by the Anti-Corruption [Commission] nearly every time a minister is implicated in a corruption case. So, the President decides whether to go ahead or not. But looking at my president Hakainde Hichilema who is a no nonsense man when it comes to that (corruption) because he is a level-headed man, he will not shield anyone. Whoever is found wanting, found in corrupt activities, he will be dealt with decisively,” said GBM.