Fred, SP can’t wish away sad chapter

By Daily Revelation Editor

Socialist Party (SP) general secretary Dr Cosmas Musumali says their party is drawing lessons from the firings and resignations that are currently going on in the opposition party.

SP has been rocked by several resignations in the recent past of very senior leaders. We know that party leaders, Dr Fred M’membe and Dr Comas Musumali, may try to put up a brave face and try to wish this away by diverting attention towards other matters. Like during the recent press briefing the two called over the weekend at Fred’s residence where they focused on addressing themselves to issues around the recently held elections in Venezuela, and refused to take any questions. We are definitely sure that the two did not allow the media to ask questions because they were aware of what the media was going to ask.

We are pretty sure that being an experienced journalist that Fred is, he wants to set his own narrative on matters rather than having others set that narrative for him. And we are sure that as an experienced journalist and former editor, he would not take kindly of any journalist getting back to the newsroom with that Venezuela story, against the important issues happening in his party, the firings and resignations that are currently happening there.

But Fred cannot not wish the happenings away. The best would actually be for him to summon his bravery, which we know he has in abundance to confront the questions on why there has been this sudden eruption of bad news coming from his organisation. Is this on account of some members not being happy with the changes Musumali says are taking place in the party? Or is it true that Fred and those in leadership are not allowing democracy to flourish in their party, in the same manner they advocate and demand that democracy must be seen to flourish? Only they can provide those answers and they have to respond to them as honestly as they possibility can, as failure to do so will be like postponing squeezing a boil while it worsens and ends up causing other complications in the body.

In addressing their problems, we shall borrow Dr Musumali’s remarks, where he says that their party will grow and draw lessons out of what is happening. We urge them to seriously regurgitate on this. If indeed they are being undemocratic or the leadership make up is seen to be undemocratic, they still have time to remedy the situation by engaging all their comrades and honestly working towards addressing this real serious matter.

Dr Musumali noted another important aspect where he acknowledged that the Socialist Party is not perfect.

“There is nothing perfect for us, we are struggling to improve our administration, we are struggling to raise enough resources, we are struggling to ensure that we can represent Zambia effectively,” said Dr Musumali. “If we have weakness, it’s not out of bad faith, it’s out of human nature and also the very fact that we are working in a very difficult environment which does not give us much breathing space to do our mobilization. But this is a very committed party and in terms of the people that are there.”

Indeed, Fred and all the people in SP, including those who are resigning are not perfect. Therefore, they will need to strive to make something perfect from their imperfections and this won’t happen by wishing away this situation that if not well handled will threaten the very existence of their organisation as a going concern in this country.