Chishimba Kambwili yesterday mocked National Democratic Congress (NDC) secretary general Mwenya Musenge, saying his desperate financial situation, that has pushed him to sell out to the Patriotic Front, can be seen from how finished the tyres on his car are.

And NDC national youth chairman Charles Kabwita says Musenge acted foolishly by deciding to expel a consultant from the opposition party, adding that the youths in the party would stand firm behind Kambwili.

Yesterday, Musenge announced on UNZA Radio that he had expelled Kambwili because he was putting the name of the party into ridicule.

But Kambwili said Musenge had started a war without understanding the consequences of his actions.

Speaking to journalists outside the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court, Thursday, Kambwili said a secretary general cannot fire the leader of the organisation.

“We don’t discuss internal political party matters in the press. Where I am standing, no one has served me a letter of expulsion, so why should we discuss internal matters in the press? Anybody who goes to discuss internal party matters to the press is foolish. Away from the NDC, have you ever seen a situation where a secretary general of an organisation, not NDC or PF, can expel a leader? What a joke?” he said.

And in an exclusive interview with News Diggers later, Kambwili said Musenge had been struggling financially, to an extent that he was failing to buy tyres for his vehicle.

“Jesus was sold by one of his disciples. Joseph in the Bible was sold by his own brothers so I cannot get surprised that a close friend can do something like that. Money is the source of all evil. My brother’s tyres on the vehicle are finished. Go and see his vehicle, the tyres are finished! He needs to buy tyres on his vehicle,” Kambwili said as he tried to control his laughter at the NDC secretary general.

“Call him, go and see the tyres on the vehicle. If he cannot even buy tyres, you know what is happening to him financially. So I can only laugh at him and say mulekosa (you should learn to be strong). Politics are not for the faint hearted, politics is for men who can withstand the storm (…laughing). Not nga wapyafye ati balampelako K2, nala chita suspend consultant (not when you get broke you ask for K2 and say I will expel the consultant…laughs).”

He said PF deputy director general Mumbi Phiri had been holding discussions with Musenge.

“In fact this issue of expelling Chishimba Kambwili was being discussed in PF blogs last night because they all knew what they had sent Mwenya Musenge to do. But I still remain consultant for the NDC and member of parliament for Roan. Mumwebefye ayepoka indalama ishama tayela ku State House (just tell him to go and get money for his tyres at State House. We know that Mwenya Musenge has been meeting Mumbi Phiri for a long time. They have been planning to destroy NDC but NDC is bigger than Mwenya Musenge, it is bigger than any individual. It cannot be destroyed by one person. We saw this before, remember Saviour Chishimba went and put an injunction to go and restrain Mr Sata from filing his nomination. We have seen such in the past and I think my dear brother Mwenya Musenge is just wasting his time and disgracing himself,” he said.

“Asked if he was stranded since Musenge’s name appeared on the party’s registration certificate, Kambwili laughed and said, “That is a big joke. Among those who registered MMD was Akashambatwa Mbikusita Lewanika, they are no longer in MMD. When a political party is registered, it is registered for the members, not for an individual. Musenge is only one of the 10 who appear on the registration of NDC. So he doesn’t have that power as an individual to do what he wants. The party belongs to the members and not those 10 who went to register.”

He warned that Musenge had started a war that was going to have consequences.

“Tell him that he has no authority whatsoever and if that’s what PF is banking on now that ‘no, NDC is destroyed so we have no contest’, wrong bet. I can only tell Mwenya Musenge that in life, when you are starting a war, assess the risk, asses the consequences. He was just someone who was on the papers but that doesn’t mean the party belongs to him. There is a Central Committee and the Central Committee will seat tomorrow to decide on Mwenya Musenge’s conduct and behaviour.”

Meanwhile, NDC vice-president Joseph Akafumba told a media briefing at the party secretariat that Musenge spoke as a lone voice and the central committee would decide what to do about his actions today.

And NDC youths have renounced Musenge, saying the party Secretary General is a sell out who is not representing the views of the majority.

Youth chairperson Charles Kabwita told News Diggers in a separate interview that Musenge acted foolishly.

“Musenge has been bought by the PF. As youths in NDC, we remain steadfast and offer solidarity to our party consultant and our sole presidential candidate for 2021. For us, the status quo remains that Honorable Chishimba Kambwili is our party consultant and Honorable Mwenya Musenge is not representing the NDC as he has not held any meeting with the members of the central committee to champion his schemes. We wish to warn ‘dishonourable’ Musenge to stop misleading himself and the public,” said Kabwita.

“What Mwenya Musenge has done is foolish and only those who are foolish can fall for what he is trying to do. And by the way my name also appears on the registration documents for NDC. Dishonorable Musenge is there, I am also there and many other faithful NDC members, so it’s not his party.”