Ruling UPND accuses corrupt politicians of playing the ethnic card to win sympathy

United Party for National Development (UPND) Copperbelt Spokesperson, Timothy Mfula, has accused some opposition leaders of playing the ethnic card when they are found wanting by the law.

Mfula said in a statement on Friday that it had become fashionable for some public figures to pull a tribal card in order to whip up sentiments and enlist support.

“Let the truth be known that Zambia is a unitary nation founded on the country’s long time motto “One Zambia One Nation” and nothing shall shift us from that foundation laid by our founding fathers,” he said.

Mfula described people who play the ethnic card as insecure and mischievous.

“We have observed with dismay that when one finds himself at variance with the law enforcement agencies they claim victimisation on the basis of tribe and one wonders whether they consult their tribes before stealing or committing an offence,” he said.

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Over the past 58 years of Independence, he said Zambia had witnessed inter-tribal marriages and the resulting offspring of these marriages have no tribe, their tribe is Zambian, thus, no one can divide this nation on tribal lines as we shall remain a united country.

“During the reign of the previous regime the leadership was bent on dividing this nation, through appointments, employment, bad mouthing other tribes, political rhetoric and this cancer has to be uprooted for us to be together and achieve the equal and balanced development in all parts of the nation,” Mfula said.

He warned those who appeal to those who ride on tribal sentiments to learn from the last elections where the 2.8 million Zambian arose and voted for President Hakainde Hichilema, who was vilified by the same people who had been on a long trail of preaching hatred against him.

“After the 2021 general elections, those who peddled tribal sentiments went into hiding for a while thinking that President Hichilema was going to pay back their evil but alas, he has proved them wrong by embracing everyone instead,” Mfula said.

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