FUN FACT
Did you know that veteran politician, Vernon Mwaanga, once dated that very beautiful Congolese songbird, Tshala Muana, and could have married her [in the 1980s] if he did not back out of the relationship?
For details, follow the excerpt below from
(Conversations with Memorable Personalities)
Amos Malupenga:
What epitaph would you like on your tombstone?
Vernon Mwaanga:
Well, whoever delivers the eulogy when my hour comes, I hope over and above whatever I have achieved or whatever negative I may have registered in life at least one thing should reflect on my tombstone that I did my best to serve my country and my people. That alone will give me satisfaction even when I am lying six feet below.
I did my best for my country and my people when it mattered most and no man is capable of exceeding his best. One of my satisfying achievements was to get Zambian soldiers involved in the United Nations peace keeping operations starting in Mozambique, Rwanda, Angola and now Sierra Leone.
President Chiluba and my Cabinet colleagues embraced this concept and so did the service chiefs – Nobby Simbeye, Ronnie Shikapwasha, Funjika and Xavier Chungu who gave their full support before I approached Kofi Annan who was then in charge of peace keeping at the UN headquarters in New York.
But one thing that intrigue me about the country is the attempt by people who don’t even know me to edit my history. They don’t have to like me but it would be a travesty to even remotely attempt to edit my history.
I have often said that men without a past cannot be used as a reliable guide to the future. Notwithstanding the current difficulties the country is going through, we should not lose ourselves as a people. We must turn self-doubt into self-belief. Any country at war with itself cannot develop no matter how great or noble its plans maybe. Consensus building and dialogue are an indispensable component of governance and development.
Amos Malupenga:
Finally, are you not going to talk about the issue of Tshala Muana being your lover. A lot was said about this, what is the truth?
Vernon Mwaanga:
Well, I must confess the answer I am going to give will probably break a few hearts. But in the interest of truth and integrity, I can say that I did have an affair with Tshala Muana. I first met her in Paris in the 80s and I was introduced to her by a mutual friend of ours who is a prominent business man in France.
As we moved near to elections’ time, Tshala Muana was invited to come here in 1991. She was supposed to assist us in MMD to raise some funds. She came here twice as you can remember.
Her visit caused controversy because there were close friends of mine who wanted to get involved with Tshala Muana but she said she was having an affair with me and she wouldn’t want to double cross me with other persons.
My friends took it badly and started scandalizing me over Tshala Muana. My relationship didn’t develop to the extent where she wanted it to be. She essentially wanted to get married to me but I wasn’t ready. I didn’t want the relationship to drift perilously towards marriage. I was content with maintaining the relationship where it was and I thought it was an appropriate level.
Such is human experience. I was single at the time and I was entitled to go for gold. But things didn’t work the way she wanted them to be. And it ended there.
Amos Malupenga:
And that issue was discussed in Cabinet?
Vernon Mwaanga:
Yes, the issue was discussed very informally and I remember my failed colleagues raising the issue with malice in Cabinet. They raised it by way of compliant. They said there are people, meaning I, who are having an affair with a singer.
Instead of being transparent enough and admit that they wanted this singer, they chose to scandalize me.
Men are entitled to try but when they are rebuffed, I don’t think they should scandalize other men who succeed, which is not right.
Amos Malupenga:
Thank you for your time and your forthright answers.
Vernon Mwaanga:
Thank you very much but these guys really tried to scandalize me after they tried their luck and bit the dust.
(An excerpt from Conversations with Memorable Personalities)
Pictures Below:
(RIGHT): Vernon Mwaanga
(LEFT): Tshala Muana