By: Kelvin Chiringa
Youthful Zambian activist, credited for delivering the youth vote that necessitated the victory of President Hakainde Hichilema, has bemoaned that Namibian public figures with huge social media followings are not using their platforms to deliver more votes for sprint sensation Christine Mboma.
Joseph Kalimbwe, a student activist that had his tertiary education in Namibia, has attracted a massive reaction from social media users when he made his post this week.
“Some Namibian Public figures are unhelpful to their own. It troubles me. I know some of these guys. Many have thousands of social media followers, but when they are asked to use their social media platforms to share the BBC Africa link where Christine Mboma is vying for the Africa Sports personality of the year for their followers to vote, they ignore and never share,” he said.
Mboma stands amongst six other nominees for the BBC Sports Personality of the year 2021 award, and her victory is now in the hands of Namibians and Africa.
“Mboma is the only one I know on the list, and I believe you too identify with her black child struggles from a rural village in Kavango East. Namibia is as much home to me as is Zambia, and I feel the need to use my space here to help amplify her cause to win the award. She deserves support to have her chances and cause amplified by voting – just like all other people vote for their representatives,” said the youth leader.
Mboma, the reigning 200m Diamond League champion, has spoken to the BBC about her race exploits in an interview that has gone global.
But Kalimbwe has blasted Namibian social media influencers for “only wanting public help when you need social media followers to vote for your MTC music awards nominations”.
He said he is now pushing for more votes for Mboma from the Zambian side.
“When MTC starts nominations, they will ask you to vote for them, but these guys won’t support others – it must always be them; “vote for me it’s only N$2. Let’s bring it home”. From Zambia, I am sharing the struggles of this Kavango black child and hope she wins. Mboma and Beatrice have been nominated for many awards, yet they rarely win because we expect people in Nairobi and Abuja to vote for them.
“Friends, who may not know her; Christine Mboma is a Namibian athlete born 22 May 2003. At age 18, she set an unratified African senior and world under-20 record in the 400 metres, making her the 7th fastest woman of all time at the event with the 12th fastest result ever. She is currently nominated for the BBC Africa Sports Personality of the Year,” he said.
Social media influencers have been used to push big brands while at the same time raking huge numbers of followers to the extent that their initiatives have come in time to shape perceptions and rally whole nations behind noble courses.
