Hichilemazation and the Crisis of Zambia’s Democratic Identity
By Katoka Mweenda “Nshili chilema,” (I am not clippled), candidate Hichilema once joked in Northern Province. In Bemba, words do not begin with the letter “H,” so his name is often pronounced “Ichilema,” meaning “handicapped person.” Opponents exploited this wordplay: “Akainde ichilema, teti abe president”—“Akainde is clippled; he cannot be president.” So he had to […]
Black News 
By Katoka Mweenda “Nshili chilema,” (I am not clippled), candidate Hichilema once joked in Northern Province. In Bemba, words do not begin with the letter “H,” so his name is often pronounced “Ichilema,” meaning “handicapped person.” Opponents exploited this wordplay: “Akainde ichilema, teti abe president”—“Akainde is clippled; he cannot be president.” So he had to […]
