Ignore Ambassador Mwamba at your own peril – the case of Nevers Mumba

By Kellys Kaunda Having been a close friend to Emmanuel for more than three decades, I have come to the conclusion that while sometimes he gets it wrong (who doesn’t?) often times, he has very good judgment. He can be strong-headed and too forward thus eliciting strong opposition. He is not afraid of going against […]

By Kellys Kaunda

Dr. Nevers Mumba

Emmanuel Mwamba

Having been a close friend to Emmanuel for more than three decades, I have come to the conclusion that while sometimes he gets it wrong (who doesn’t?) often times, he has very good judgment.

He can be strong-headed and too forward thus eliciting strong opposition. He is not afraid of going against the majority. Insecure people choose to shun his company or place inappropriate labels on him. Recently, he raised concern that government had continued to pay benefits of a former Vice President to Dr. Mumba when he was still in active politics contrary to the law regarding the benefits for former Vice Presidents. Amb. Mwamba went as far as demanding that Dr. Mumba refunds whatever he has received so far. If enforced, it ll prove that paying the former Veep while he was in active politics was one of the most expensive mistakes in Zambia’s recent history! Then yesterday, social media was awash with news that Dr. Mumba had resigned from active politics! Who was right – Amb. Mwamba or the Zambian government? Uncomfortable though it might be to admit, the indisputable answer is that Amb. Mwamba was right. What he did was to raise concerns over the abrogation of the law on the part of the Zambian government. In future, there may arise a government that may demand that Dr. Mumba pays back whatever he received while he was in active politics. But thanks to the vigilance of Ambassador Mwamba, Dr. Mumba’s bill might be smaller than it would have been had he not raised the matter. But whether the people involved in the decision to continue paying the former Veep when they knew the law would forever escape accountability, only the future will tell. This country has several examples of high-ranking officials who went to jail, not because of theft by public servant, but because they ignored the law. And others were forced to pay back monies they were not entitled to. Remember the case of Ministers who stayed on in their positions after the disolution of parliament during ECL’s time – the courts ordered them to pay back! If I were Dr. Mumba, I would begin to calculate every cent I have received over the period in question and begin to pay it back. So, what is my point? My point is that Amb. Mwamba means well for this country. He is not a threat to its security. He is a contributor to its democratic wellbeing. Alerting authorities to the breach in the law is the classic definition of protecting national security while breaking it is threatening national security. By providing checks and balances, we are protecting both national interest and national security. When we keep quiet in the face of a wrong deed, we become accomplices to the act. By this logic, it’s not Amb. Mwamba who should be associated with threats to national security, it’s lawbreakers and those charged with the responsibility to enforce the law that must be held accountable. Zambian politicians – from UNIP to UPND – have fragile egos. And they know nothing about checks and balances. They are political lightweights who cannot stand simple criticism. They do not belong to the political heavy weights of the Africa National Congress of South Africa. Thabo Mbeki, Jacob Zuma and Cyril Rhamaposa would sit emotionally unmoved while Julius Malema calls them all kinds of unpalatable terms. And nothing happens to Julius! Not here! Here, Jean Chisenga faced the wrath of Parliament for calling out President Hichilema. Sishuwa Sishuwa can’t come back home. And now his passport has been canceled as well as that of Amb. Mwamba and others. A day is yet in future when democracy – transparency, accountability, checks and balances, criticism – shall be embraced wholeheartedly by those in power. A day is yet in future when the political playing field shall be even when those criticised shall respond by counter-arguments. A day is yet in future when the police and other security forces shall not fight political battles for ruling parties as it has been since the days of UNIP. If UPND is really confident of winning fair and square in the political ring, I challenge them to drop all charges against Amb. Mwamba because we all know that they were intended to give the ruling party an advantage over him. Restore his passport so he returns home. Do the same for Sishuwa Sishuwa and the rest in a similar situation and may the best man or woman win!