DO you remember the Get Involved Zambia Red Card that characterised the 2011 pre election period? If you don’t, ask TIMOTHY KAMBILIMA, who broke the rules as a civil servant and  made it a point  to attend all political rallies during the campaigns. Little did he know he would get in hot soup for falsely being associated with the distribution of the card. Read on…

LEADERSHIP always comes with sacrifice for the benefit of the people who put you in office or that position you are occupying.
Having got a transfer from Chililabombwe to Luanshya in October, 2008, I started work at Mpatamatu High School in May, 2009.
By the time I was leaving Chililabombwe, I served as a branch chairperson for the Zambia National Union of Teachers (ZNUT) before I was mysteriously suspended by the district executive a few weeks before the district elections.
Many teachers wanted me to serve in the ZNUT district executive because of my approach to matters affecting the welfare of members.
The executive suspended me for issuing a Press statement on the need by then Chililabombwe Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) Member of Parliament Wamundila Muliokela to distribute the donated rice from India to the people of Chililabombwe.
Though I made the statement in my capacity as a concerned resident, the union went ahead and suspended me.
I was told to exculpate myself, but after consulting my family, friends and other members, I elected not to respond and continued working.
Well, back to Luanshya I would like to make it clear that, just like thousands of other Zambians, I personally saw the need to change Government like the year 1991 when we voted for the late Frederick Titus Jacob Chiluba as Zambia’s Second Republican President.
By the way, when Power Dynamo’s football Club was winning the FAZ Premier league Championship for the Second time in 1991, it was the first time for me to vote in a general elections for my beloved country Zambia.
I remember voting from Kudu Polling station in Kamenza Mine Township. The year 2010, as fellow readers may recall, was a very active year in terms of politics and Mpatamatu Township was no exception.
We received all sorts of politicians and their sympathisers who were trying by all means to convince the electorate to vote for them and their political parties.
As a concerned Zambian citizen who always wanted to know what was going on in my area, and the nation at large, I made sure that I attended all public meetings addressed by all political parties, though I made up my mind to vote for change a long time ago.
I was also privileged to attend one public meeting at the defunct 28 Mine Shaft in Mpatamatu where some leaders of Get Involved Zambia, were addressing people and distributing the famous red cards which were a symbol that, come 2011, the MMD government was to be shown the red card or, to put it bluntly, voted out of office.
As a civil servant, I never got those cards, but as a resident and citizen of Mpatamatu Roan Constituency, I supported the idea because, you can’t stop the wind of change when it comes, whether you like it or not.
And the wind of change was surely blowing everywhere in Zambia, including in Mpatamatu. Well, on Monday March 29, 2010, barely four days before my daughter Tracy was born at Lubengele Clinic in Chililabombwe, I experienced a terrible incident.
While marking pupils’ books in the staff room, the head teacher, Mr Muyunda, who has since retired, stormed the staff room yelling, “Mr Kambilima you are wanted in town; let’s go just now!” My fellow teachers and I were alarmed, terrified and shocked at the abrupt summons. When he took me to his office, Mr Muyunda told me that he had received a call from authorities ‘above’ that I was seen distributing red cards in all the seven schools in Mpatamatu.
No sooner had he finished informing me than I was told to jump on the school bus driven by Mr Chisenga. As I was about to leave, I informed my workmates on the turn of events and they insisted on accompanying me, but the head teacher turned down their request.
When we arrived at the office of the District Commissioner (DC), I was informed that some people saw me distributing red cards, but I denied the accusation and challenged the DC to prove the claim by naming the ‘informers’.
The DC,however, declined to do so, but  instead, strongly warned me not to be used by opposition political parties, especially that I was in the public service.
“You risk losing your job if you continue with what you are doing, Mr Kambilima,” he stressed After the one hour long interrogation, we proceeded to the District Education Board Secretary’s (DEBS’) office who  did not have much to say except to advise: “Just follow what the DC has told you”.
I still made it clear to the officer that I never distributed a single card and, if he wished to prove it, he could go and ask the head teachers in all the seven schools.
Back at my work place, concerned teachers were almost organising a bus to come and give me solidarity, but I assured them that, all was well and there was nothing to worry about.
Fearing to complicate her condition, I was only able to inform my wife about what had transpired on Friday, April 2, 2010, after she had delivered. Up to now, I don’t know who falsely informed the authorities that I was involved in the distribution of the famous red cards.
Anyway, I have since forgiven who ever fabricated lies against me and the change, people wanted, that came after the 2011 elections, did much to wash away the anger in me.
Although this incident is now history, I will never forget the lesson. Life is very strange and sometimes people are punished for something they have not done.
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