Today we feature Fumba Chama on your voice matters block.
Chama also known as Pilato is a Zambian music artist.
First to begin with let me make one thing straight and clear, I am my own
man. My parents were both bemba and am Bemba. My parents died when me
and my brothers were a little younger and still in school. My bemba parents
were hardworking but didn't raise me. When they died, my life came to stand
still. To cut details on that.... I was raised by a community and by a church
called THE POTTER'S HOUSE CHURCH, in Mushili.
As a child clothes,
shoes and food was donated to me by the members of this wonderful church.
This church had Tongas, Lozis, Bembas hey, it simply had all the tribes in
one place. My pastor was Raynor Gunton, not a Zambian and not african. I
had no parent to speak morals to me so I was a responsibility of every church
member. I didn't have so many opportunities but I always had at least a
single church member available in when it mattered the most. When it was
hard for me I had to walk from mushili kansengu to ndola central hospital to
donate my own blood so that I could get a 1kg packet of sugar, 1 pack biscuit,
1 bottle of juice and milk. Sometimes I would be sent back without getting
any of theses goodies because I couldn't donate blood every week nor every
month. But I had to eat every day. I sometimes picked Chinese vegetables
and repu from my first landlord's gabbage bin and ate.
During my darkest moments I was adopted by a Lamba family, my friend's
mother who was just a widow without a job. She taught me what it meant to
be human. Her house was covered with a tent and only two rooms were
covered. Everyday was a struggle for her to find food for her two lovely sons
and now plus me.
I found a friend in DANIEL SAKALA, with him we spent nights in church
praying from monday to sunday. We prayed for everything even for a dream.
Again I say, I am a child that was raised by a community. Our church was
about 1000 members and had every tribe involved. Every tribe contributed to
who I am today. My first job was arranged by my Australian pastor who
didn't even belong to any of Zambia's tribes.
Ladies and gentlemen, I refuse to play tribes and I will not reduce humanity
to tribes.
It is true I performed at a UPND RALLY and I will do it again and again. If
its true it is a party for the Tongas, I will defy that. Tongas love their children
just like Ngonis, they have the same national pride like the Kaondes and they
too are humans.
I refuse to judge any human being by their tribe, I refuse to
insult the many Zambians that fed me and covered my nakedness. I refuse to
be fooled by the devil. I am a human being. If it is true the UPND is a tribal
party then I might as well join it to fight tribalism. If UPND is just for the
tongas, it will cease to be one when a bemba who is committed to fighting
tribalism joins it.
Again I say, am not a politician and am not a coward. I performed at a UPND
RALLY not as a politician but as an artist but now that some of you think you
can throw stones on me for that, please go ahead. I have endured more hate
than that. Remember no single tribe in Zambia has all the wisdom, no single
tribe in Zambia has all the common sense.
Dr. Kaunda didn't fight
colonialism with one tribe but with every tribe here.... the tongas included. I
repeat, I will not play tribalism no matter what and I will fight it with
everything within me for the sake of the poor people in my church that
protected me, gave me shelter, food and gave me a job. By the way, the first
computer I ever touched in my life was owned by a Lozi lady who was
married to an Indian. I only bought my own clothes in 2008. Meaning from
2002 to 2008 the shoes I wore and clothes were just donated to me by the
members of my church who didn't care what tribe I was.
And I've been contracted to perform again at the UPND RALLY so see you
then.
Source:Pilato yaku
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