I’M INJURED
…it takes time to reflect, get healed – Musenge
By Edwin Mbulo in Livingstone
I DON’T want to be part of this confusion so the best I can do depending on what the general membership feels is to step down, says embattled NDC president Mwenya Musenge.
But Musenge says the NDC has not grown out of petty politics.
“It’s time to take time off. I am human and get injured, I am injured, it takes time to reflect over and get healed over this,” he said.
On Tuesday, NDC acting national spokesperson Emmanuel Malite told journalists at a media briefing held at the party secretariat in Lusaka’s Woodlands area that the national governing council had decided to replace Musenge who took over from Josephs Akafumba with George Sichula.
“The NDC under the new administration on the interim basis is not only happy with the performance of the new dawn administration but also committed to supporting the government…the party will continue to support the Alliance until the national executive committee decides otherwise,” Malite said.
“Among the changes made on the interim basis are: president, George Sichula popularly known as King George, vice-president – administration, James Wamunyima, vice-president-political, Joseph Chishala, national party spokesperson Emmanuel Malite, secretary general Dr Paul Mbulo and media director Kirby Kaoma Musonda. The rest of the position remain the same.”
In The Mast’s Tuesday lead story, Musenge showed displeasure in the manner the UPND-Alliance was handling matters of serious interest, especially matters affecting the NDC.
He alleged that the secretariat led by Movement for Democratic Change and Equity Party’s Kaluba Simuyemba was uncomfortable to accept his appointment as president of the NDC.
Musenge observed that some parties on the UPND-Alliance were one-man political entities just interested in their personal interests and not that of the Alliance members.
And reacting to the changes in the NDC leadership, Musenge told The Mast that the clique that had risen to oust him was a small one and did not reflect the desires of the general national governing council membership as only about six to eight members decided to make the changes.
“I am a very mature leader. I have been in leadership at very high levels and I am able to read between the lines that this is cheap politicking. But I would not again want us to start fighting. We have issues with Saboi Imboela and group that we are supposed to be sorting out and then again, we start fighting within ourselves,” Musenge said.
“It simply shows that we haven’t grown out of this pettiness. We haven’t grown. I don’t want to be part of this confusion. So the best I can do depending on what the general membership feels is to step down and allow ba (Mr) Sichula to lead the party because I cannot entertain this type of confusion. I mean, seriously, I cannot allow this. I have been in politics for a very long time and age is catching up with me. I cannot be running battles with young men who are craving for leadership.”
He said it was better to give those that ousted him an opportunity and see how they would run the party.
“For me it’s time to take time off. I am human and get injured. I am injured. It takes time to reflect over and get healed over this. I am a family man. I also have those who really depend on me like my children who also get affected when such things happen. So I need time to be with them to make them understand what has transpired. But I wish them (NDC) well. Let my colleagues run the party,” said Musenge.