Binwell accuses HH of promoting tribal divisions

By MUBITA KATETE

PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema has the propensity of making statements that have the potential to deepen tribal divisions and it is high time he started avoiding tribal rhetoric that can undermine national unity and cohession, Binwell Mpundu has said.

Mr Mpundu is alleging that President Hichilema’s recent campaign messages in North-Western, Southern and Western provinces were centred on tribal discrimination against certain communities, which he described as misleading and divisive.

“The President (Hakainde Hichilema) needs to stop preaching hatred and divisions as he goes campaigning. Tribalism can set this country on fire,” Mr Mpundu said.

Mr Mpundu disputed assertions that people from Western Province were historically denied employment opportunities under previous administrations on account of the region they were coming from.

“There are many Lozis who were employed in government before the UPND came into power, and we all know that. It is not true and completely misleading for President Hichilema to claim certain regions were being discriminated. The head of State should drop his tribal card in his campaign messages,” he said.

He has also challenged assertions by President Hichilema suggesting that Tongas and Lozis were targeted for attacks upon arriving at Lusaka’s Intercity Bus Terminus because of their ethnicity.

“The truth is that there is no Tonga or Lozi who was being beaten at Intercity simply for being Tonga or Lozi. The President is lying and simply wants Tongas and Lozis to hate people from other regions,” Mr Mpundu said.

Mr Mpundu, who is former Nkana Independent member of Parliament argued that incidents of political violence should not be framed as ethnic persecution, saying harassment that occurred in previous years was linked to political party affiliation rather than tribal identity.

Mr Mpundu accused the President of selectively highlighting victims of political violence while remaining silent on others.

He cited the deaths of Chibulo Mapenzi, Lawrence Banda and University of Zambia student Vespers Shimuzhila, alleging that President Hichilema frequently references those cases but rarely mentions the killing of former Patriotic Front North-Western Provincial chairperson Jackson Kungo or other deaths that occurred during the current administration.

He also alleged that the President has failed to acknowledge deaths that occurred during security operations in Mufumbwe and Mufulira, arguing that all victims deserve equal recognition regardless of political affiliation.

Mr Mpundu dismissed suggestions that President Hichilema is widely disliked because of his ethnic background, pointing to the President’s electoral performance in the 2021 general election.

Ends.