Vice President Mutale Nalumango Clarifies ‘imita Ufole’ Remarks.

Zambian Vice President Mutale Nalumango has clarified that her recent remarks in Parliament, in which she used the phrase "Imita ufole," were directed at married pregnant women and not children, as alleged by opposition parties and some stakeholders.

Speaking in the National Assembly last Friday, Nalumango expressed surprise at the controversy surrounding her statement, emphasizing that it had been misinterpreted.

"The last time I stood here, I used a phrase from the Northern part, particularly Luapula—imita ufole. The debate has been big, and I keep wondering: Are we Zambians? Don’t we understand? Because I started by putting it in English," she said.

She further questioned the logic behind the allegations, stressing that as Vice President, she would never use such language in reference to children or young girls.

"Are you saying the Vice President of the Republic of Zambia would be talking about children, girls? Can we tell children imita surely?" she asked.

Her comments come amid criticism from opposition leaders who argued that the phrase was inappropriate and could be misinterpreted. However, Nalumango has insisted that her words were taken out of context and that her message was intended to emphasize the importance of maternal health for married women.

The debate continues to stir mixed reactions across the country, with some calling for a more careful choice of words in public discourse.

Source, Kalemba.

By Peter Ngelelwa ICU-News.

March 7, 2025