The news emanating from South Africa around the issue of former president, Edgar Lungu makes sad reading. For instance, the South African government has confirmed that the Lungu family had permanent resident status of that country. Where’s the sense of patriotism here? How can a President maintain unbreakable ties with another country to the extent of even acquiring identify documents, let alone massively investing in that country? Isn’t that worst betrayal of one’s country?

From the time ba Lungu found himself a tenant in State House, his nationality has been a matter of intense debate, and as controversial as it could get! There are conflicting accounts of where he was born – Kitwe’s Chimwemwe township and Ndola ‘Central’ Hospital in 1956…..How can a human being be born in two different places?

What is now known as Ndola Central Hospital was called Ndola Hospital and it was a whites only facility prior to Independence! How is it possible then that ba Lungu was born in Ndola Hospital?

Was ba Lungu really one of us……or even a patriotic citizen?

Let’s us put this in a proper perspective: Our first President, Kenneth Kaunda traced his roots back to Chinsali in the present day Muchinga province; Frederick Chiluba always reminded us of having his umbilical cord buried kwa Musangu, Luapula province while it is common knowledge Levy Mwanawasa hailed from kwi Lamba, Ndola rural.

Although he is said to have spent part of his youthful days in Zimbabwe, there’s no doubt about it, Rupiah Banda’s parents came from Chipata, Eastern province where he briefly settled after saying ‘adios’ to politics. And everyone of us knows Micheal Sata was from Chitulika village in Mpika, Northern province where his father happened to be a village headman before he had enough of making tea for the muzungus.

Incumbent President, Hakainde Hichilema is from Bweengwa, Southern province. All of us have been privy to this have even before he set foot into the colonial mansion at Plot 1 Independence Avenue!

The 1 billion Kwacha question is, who knows about ba Lungu’s village? What about his Chief or village headman? How come his blood relatives – brothers, sisters, uncles and aunties are still missing in action when one Makebi Zulu, his lawyer, has stolen the show? During his presidency for instance, did we ever see anyone from his village claiming to be his relative? Where has that so-called sister of his come from at this late hour?

What is the genuine identify of ba Lungu, imwe mwe bantu?

Mike Mulongoti and his colleague, Fresher Siwale tried to put matters to rest when they came up with earth shattering claims ba Lungu was masquerading under stolen identity….his real name was Jonathan Mutaware of Malawian or Mozambican extraction whose parents came to Northern Rhodesia to work in the mines on the Copperbelt in the early 50s.

Of course, this matter came up in court in 2018. But lo and behold, Mulongoti passed on mysteriously before the nation could get to know the truth while Siwale is battling illness somewhere in Lusaka after being brutally tortured while in prison.

What about Social media reports are getting he was in possession of a Zimbabwean passport, two different diplomatic passports from two other countries and two green passports at the time of admission to hospital?

Ba News Diggers naimwe, you aren’t reputed for investigative journalism for nothing. Can’t you smell anything fishy here? Please assign someone with a good nose for news to sniff around this issue.

Prince Bill M Kaping’a
Political/Social Analyst