By Isaac Zulu
President Hakainde Hichilema has raised the bar on the governance system of the country, Mwenya Musenge has said.
Musenge, who is former National Democratic Congress secretary general, says this in itself is a challenge and a wake up call to most opposition political parties that are docile to prove their relevance in the political arena.
Asked by Daily Revelation to elaborate on that, Musenge cited the restoration of the rule of law, respectability to the office of the Head of State, a conducive business environment and the fight against corruption; as some of the areas where President Hichilema has made positive strides.
“Although I don’t agree with him on issue of not shifting from Community House to State House, I feel that President Hakainde Hichilema has raised the bar on the governance system of the country. Firstly, there is now respectability to the office of the President unlike in the past where every jim and jack that was close to the Head of State thought were also Presidents. The value that is attached to that office has now been restored. The rule of law has been restored… there is sanity in the enforcement of the law unlike in the previous regime where police officers were being undermined by political cadres to an extent that police officers started getting instructions from PF cadres in the execution of their duties,” Musenge explained. “And the environment is now conducive for businesses to thrive. Further, you notice that in the previous people, some of them still young to have an established business entity, were carrying and splashing huge sums of money. This is because people were being awarded government contracts dubiously, without following the laid down procedures. Corruption was just rampant, but His Excellency President Hakainde Hichilema and his administration has intensified the fight against corruption. The President has raised the bar and this is challenge and a wake call to those opposition political parties that are docile to prove their relevance in the political sphere. We have political parties that go to slumber and only come to life during general elections.”
And Musenge has charged that it is irrational for people to be advocating for the merging of opposition political parties into one with a view to remove President Hichilema and his administration from power.
He explained that political parties are formed with set objectives that are driven by ideologies of a particular political party, saying “it is therefore impossible to harmonise different political ideologies and formulate one part manifesto.”
Musenge, who is also former Chimwemwe member of parliament, pointed out that having one opposition political party would defeat the spirit of multiparty democracy, saying “in a Constitutional democracy opposition political parties must be encouraged to thrive and make meaningful contribution to democratic dispensation.”
“You don’t form a political party and join forces with other opposition political parties with the intention of becoming minister in government. Or for the intention of eliminating the UPND and the incumbent President Hakainde Hichilema from the political scene,” Musenge said. “You form a political grouping with an intention of providing an oversight role of providing checks and balances to the party in power. As a matter of fact, political parties are formed based on ideologies, your beliefs… what you strongly believe drives your agenda as a political grouping. It is therefore impossible to harmonise different political party ideologies and formulate one consolidated party manifesto. And that is why I am saying that it is irrational for people to be advocating for the merging of opposition political parties into one with a view to remove President HH and the UPND administration from power. I am sorry that is being shallow and we need to look at a broader picture.”
He also observed that political alliances do not benefit all party members but a few party leaders “while the general membership, who are in the majority are left in the wilderness.”
“An example is the Opposition Alliance that was formed prior to the August 12, 2021 general elections. After the formation of government by the UPND only leaders of those opposition political parties have benefited. And you have seen that people like ba Felix Mutati, (Josephs) Akafumba, Charles Milupi; among others, have been rewarded with jobs in government,” said Musenge.
