Zambia: Katumbi canes cheap politicking

President Banda with DRC Katanga Governor Moses Katumbi at the Umutomboko ceremony in Mwansabombwe.

DEMOCRATIC Republic of Congo (DRC) Katanga Province Governor Moses Katumbi has described as cheap politicking allegations that he travelled to Mwansabombwe in Luapula Province to drum up support for President Banda.

Mr Katumbi told journalists in Ndola yesterday that he was a foreign national who cannot influence internal political matters of Zambia.

“To say that I went to Luapula Province to give support to the President (Banda) is cheap politics,” Mr Katumbi said.

He said DRC and Zambia share the longest border which stretches from Chililabombwe on the Copperbelt Province to Mununga in Luapula Province and his visits to Zambia are on mutual relations.

“So every time I come to Zambia, it is because of the mutual understanding between the two governments. I cannot have any influence over politics in Zambia because I am Congolese just like no Zambian can influence anything in the Congo,” Mr Katumbi said.

On his impromptu visit to Zambia, Mr Katumbi said he was in the country on the continued development understanding which exists between the two countries, especially the Copperbelt and Katanga provinces, respectively.

He said the bilateral relationship between Zambia and DRC will continue to benefit the people in the two countries through projects such as the tarring of the Pedicle Road which links the Copperbelt and Luapula provinces through the enclave of the DR Congo.
“We want to improve the Kasumbalesa border post,” he said.

Mr Katumbi, who was accompanied by Copperbelt Province permanent secretary Villie Lombanya and officers from the DRC consular office in Ndola, also held a meeting with officials from Gecamines at Bangala House before returning to Katanga Province.
Gecamines is a DR Congo-owned mine in Katanga province.

Earlier, Mr Lombanya said Zambia and DRC have for a long time enjoyed the bilateral and cordial relationship which exists between the two countries.

[Zambia Daily mail]