By Agness Changala
PF secretary general Raphael Nakachinda says it is not true that there hasn’t been people to talk to Miles Sampa.
And Nakachinda has told Daily Revelation that Sampa is the one who has issues and has taken the party to court.
Meanwhile, the PF secretary general has insisted that the attempt to distablise his party is a UPND project.
Last week, suspended PF national chairman Davies Chama told Daily Revelation that Sampa was willing to talk, pleading that he be talked to.
Chama said he has been engaging Sampa before and after he held his convention, and that he was a sane human being who could be talked to.
When reached to share his views on Chama’s sentiments, Nakachinda said as a party, there are processes going on but Sampa had chosen to go astray.
“Miles Sampa is the one who has had issues and has taken the party to court. He is the one who has gone completely astray,” Nakachinda said.
He added that it is not true that there are no people to talk to him, saying a lot of people have been talking to him.
“And it will not be true that there are hasn’t been people who are willing to talk to him. There are a number of people who have been talking to him. The only thing is that sometimes people refuse to acknowledge what is clear before them,” Nakachinda said.
He said what is clear before everyone is that the attempt to distablise PF is a UPND project and the moment it has an eternal component, it becomes a problem when people choose to compromise.
“The only thing is that sometimes people refuse to acknowledge what is clear before them. What is clear before all of us is that this attempt to destabilise PF is a UPND project and the moment it has that external component, you seize discussing this one is normal this one sane … the issue now is about trust and if people have compromised, and have chosen to compromise, that’s where the problem is,” Nakachinda said.
He however said, “we cannot respond and begin to try matters or begin to examine each other’s sincerity in our quest to build the party in the paper. To that effect, it is the reason why non of the leadership in the party responded to Mr. Chama. There are channels in the party in which you can raise your issues. The difficulty has only been that he chose to argue in the papers more than engaging each other.”
Nakachinda said Chama was already confirming that senior members who have had concerns about his outbursts and utterances and sometimes personal positions have gone to see him personally.
“You see it’s him who has disclosed to the public through newspapers that he has met the Prof. You have never heard Prof Nkandu Luo say that or even hear Hon Jean Kapata say that,” he said.
Nakachinda said everyone was desirous to resolve issues but noted that leaders should not think they are the only ones who are right.
“We all are desirous to resolve issues. The last thing you would want to do as a leader is to insinuate that you are the only one who means well and the rest don’t. Even the dialogue he is talking about, is only possible when people first of all…to give each other a benefit of doubt,” he said. “But giving each other a benefit of doubt does not imply that they must agree with you. Give each other the benefit of doubt on the basis that you could be right or you could be wrong. Or maybe you are all right just that you have to harmonise your position.”
He said as secretary general of the former ruling party he was reluctant to comment on the allegation that being appointed secretary general has brought all the issues that the party is going on.
“But I was appointed secretary general in the same manner that Mr Chama was appointed. All of us when appointed to leadership, are called upon to contribute to the best of our ability, with sincerity and all that,” he said.
Nakachinda said if somebody has a problem personally with him, he cannot help it.
“But if it’s about the the organization that’s a different subject. I know that sometimes we read into each other , we suspect each other, we question each other’s motives, but wherever there is a group of people that cannot stop,” he said.
Nakachinda said for now, the party must focus on what will help reorganize and rebuild it so that it becomes an alternative for Zambians.
“What is just going to help the organization is to have the maturity to rise above those feelings to rise above those perceptions and focus on the bigger picture to rebuild the organization to make sure that PF regains it’s rightful place in terms of confidence from the Zambian people and becomes a true alternative for the Zambian people,” said Nakachinda.
Nakachinda said he was also reluctant to deal with Chama’s issues because he is still undergoing some disciplinary process and he doesn’t think it would be prudent for him as secretary general to start exchanging words with him.
