By Isaac Zulu
Mwenya Musenge says President Hakainde Hichilema has got a vision but his ministers have failed to buy into it, and have started exhibiting pomposity.
Speaking with Daily Revelation, Musenge noted that President Hakainde Hichilema has a vision for the country, but some ministers serving under him have failed to buy into his vision, saying “and because of that the President is becoming a lone voice in the wilderness.”
Musenge, who is former NDC secretary general, said individuals working with President Hichilema do not want to take advice, but are instead exhibiting arrogance and pomposity.
“For me, the one year that the UPND has been in government has not been bad…it has not been a bad year for them. They have scored some successes, but I think they can do much better. When you listen to His Excellency President Hakainde Hichilema speaking, his language is soothing, sweet and promising. He has a vision for this country, but his ministers have failed to buy into his vision. And because of that, implementation becomes difficult,” Musenge said. “And the problem is compounded by the fact that our colleagues in government, those that are serving under the Head of State, are not willing to take advice. They don’t want people to talk about what they are doing. They are exhibiting arrogance and pomposity. People like the UPND spokesperson Honourable Cornelius Mweetwa has even gone to an extent where he belittled me and saying that I am insane just because I have spoken out on their governance style. People like Mweetwa should be schooled about etiquette. Humility is the key to good leadership.”
He said that, so far, the ministers serving in the UPND government are proving to “I know it all.”
“They should know that even after forming government they should not stop listening to the people that elected them. We are the ones on the ground and know that people are complaining to an extent of saying they regret voting for the UPND. But it appears our colleagues in serving under President Hakainde Hichilema feel that by forming government, they have gotten it all and they proving to be I know it all,” saidMusenge, who also served as PF Chimwemwe member of parliament. “If they don’t want to take advice from the people on the ground and those that voted for them, we will leave them and keep watching. They can say I am a loner politician, they can call me insane if they want, but even a mad person served a family. There are calls on the ground… a strong voice, actually, reminding those in government to uplift their standard of living, but you have a person like Mweetwa who is saying we are not here for a quick fix. You want to fix things after three years? That’s when you want me to have a decent meal on my table? People are dying of hunger. Are they going to resucitate them after three years? I am afraid, that might be too late for the UPND because by then people would have made up their minds. And they risk being a one term government.”
He applauded the UPND administration for recruiting more than 40,000 civil servants, but was quick to state that that is not enough given the high unemployment levels prevailing in the country.
“Recruitment of 30,000 plus teachers and more than 11,000 health workers. Good…!! But that is just about 10 per cent of the unemployed and not enough to address the challenge of unemployment in the country,” he said.
Musenge said that the UPND government needs to address the high poverty levels prevailing in the country, saying that when people do not have food to eat they become agitated.
“Every person needs shelter, food, water and sanitation on a daily basis. These are basic needs. So even when they are in government they should be thinking of a person in Kapoto, in Bauleni and that man in Bwengwa in Southern Province who is struggling to put food on the table,” explained Musenge. “When people are going to bed without food they become agitated. And that is what made the PF to lose political power.”
And Musenge noted the manifestation of hooliganism in the UPND, stating that this can be evidenced from sentiments coming from senior party officials in the ruling party.
“Just a few days ago my brother Obvious Mwaliteta, who is the UPND Lusaka Province chairperson, tweeted that all those that are issuing statements against President Hakainde Hichilema will be dealt with and that they will not tell us how they will sort them out. And this is coming from a senior party official! This is a manifestation of hooliganism in the UPND. This, for me, is an indication that hooliganism is brewing in the UPND. And this is what our colleagues condemned and spoke out against while in opposition.”
