LIKE a biblical leper, Chishimba Kambwili is wallowing in loneliness after the people he believed were his close political darlings load shedded their friendship with him in the wake of his illness.
The former PF Roan member of parliament feels that despite having spat Bemba proverb upon Bemba proverb in defence of his political allies during his days of good health, they have abandoned him when he needs them the most.
The once-upon-a-time information minister in the Edgar Lungu regime poured out his lamentations of feeling deserted through a Facebook video caption yesterday.
“True to this video, some people have abandoned me worse in my sickness. They showed fake love and friendship when I was able to provide, help them and in position of authority. But for me and my family we pray to God to make them realise that not all days are Sundays. Let them learn that we need to be friends regardless,” he wrote.
Kambwili whose political weight was once a force to be reckoned with, recently returned from South Africa where he spent close to a month undergoing specialist treatment facilitated for by the Zambian Government.
Kambwili thanked those who have remained with him regardless of his status in society.
Prior to his evacuation, Kambwili was handed a five-month jail term by the Kasama Magistrates Court for spewing hate speech against Southerners as he campaigned for former president Edgar Lungu in the run upto the August 12, 2021 general elections.
Upon being released on bail pending appeal, Kambwili vanished from the public eye amid reports that he was ill.
In the wake of Kambwili’s illness, President Hakainde Hichilema okayed his evacuation for specialist treatment.
As government put logistics in place for his evacuation, Kambwili became impatient and attempted to flee through Zimbabwe.
Having left his passport at Chirundu boarder in botched escape, Kambwili was apprehended by Zimbabwean authorities days later and landcruisered back to Zambia.
Believing his health was more important, Zambian government authorities still went ahead and evacuated Kambwili.
By Catherine Pule
Kalemba April 3, 2024
