Suspended National Democratic Congress (NDC) party secretary general Mwenya Musenge says Chishimba Kambwili remains a very popular politician in Zambia and many people would like him to be President one day.

And Musenge says NDC is his brain child which he cannot sell to the Patriotic Front for any pieces of silver, adding that the party has still not yet formally informed him about the 21-day suspension.

In an interview, Wednesday, Musenge explained that although Kambwili used disparaging remarks against him following their party differences, he still fills the former chief government spokesperson is popular and deserves to lead Zambia in future.

He explained that he did not expel Kambwili from the party, but that he only terminated his consultancy contract, which he signed in his capacity as party secretary general.

“I want to put it very clear that I never suspended anybody, I never expelled anybody. It is the preserve of the central committee to suspend or expel an individual from the party. I am secretary general. What I did was to terminate the contract that the party entered into with Honourable Kambwili when we wanted him to help us, as we were starting the party. You know, people hire consultants to help them do a number of things; you can hire a consultant when building a house or, indeed, anything, and that’s what we did when we were starting the party. We said let him come and help us, as someone who has been in the political arena for a long time,” Musenge explained.

Asked if he still thought Kambwili would make a good Republican President, Musenge said the former Roan PF member of Parliament who lost his seat yesterday, remained his popular “brother” whom people would like to elect President.

“I wouldn’t want to drag my brother into such a discussion now, I wouldn’t even want to comment about that. My position as at now is to try and find how we can resolve the issues that have befallen us as a party. Chishimba Kambwili remains a very popular guy and, generally, the people of Zambia would really want him to be President of this country one day, and it’s entirely up to them. For now, we have to focus on how we can position ourselves for the Zambian people to have confidence in us,” replied Musenge.

“I know him, he is a friend, we have worked together in PF during president Sata’s time, but from the time we had these issues we have never spoken to each other! I have been reflecting on these issues and maybe that’s why we have not talked to each other since that time. But my desire is to see the party being more powerful than an individual so that when there are issues, the party can call people to order. What is ideal is that the way we had issues with Kambwili, the party central committee could have called us to hear all sides of the issue. But it’s sad that when individuals become leaders of political parties, they become so powerful and want everyone in the party to go and kneel before them, that’s not how it should be.”

And Musenge claimed that he had not been communicated to formally by the NDC over his 21-day suspension.

“I have not been communicated to formally, although I have been spoken to verbally by the vice president (Joseph Akafumba) and what I was told was that I had not actually been suspended, but was only asked to take a ‘chill’ for 21 days, that’s what I was told. But I can only be able to know whether it’s a suspension or a leave when I am formally communicated to. So, I am still waiting for communication from the party. I have opted to take a serious reflection, it’s so unfortunate that the person whom I held in so high esteem, whom I regarded to be a future leader of this country, would go such an extent of insulting and disparaging me! Dressing me down in such a manner, but I wouldn’t want to go that route. Everything that is happening now is just giving us and the Zambian people to know each other better,” he narrated

Meanwhile, Musenge said NDC was his brain child and he would not sell it.

“Those are machinations by my perceived enemies! The fact is that, the NDC is my brain child; I am a parent of NDC and there is no way I can discard it along the way! And I know the principles, the ideologies and vision that I have for this party are very much alive and there is no way I can trade my own baby for a few pieces of silver, that cannot be done. So, I wouldn’t want to waste my time over that, the people will be able to tell if indeed there has been such. The way I have been brought up and in fact, even the Bible says: ‘uto ukwete inga natukulinga, cimo noukwete ifingi’ (if you are content with the little that you have, you are as good as someone was has got plenty). So, I am not too ambitious to amass wealth, I am content with what I have,” argued Musenge.

“My fight is to have a better Zambia where people will be able to enjoy their life and their rights. And my coming up with this party was one way of contributing to national governance and show how leadership is supposed to be. I have always believed that those who aspire for public office should go there purely to serve and not for selfish interests or to go and amass wealth. And that’s why I am proud of myself, having served as Minister at Ministry of Works and Supply; as deputy minister at Defence; as Provincial Minister for Copperbelt for over 3-4 years. I have never been followed by anyone, I have never been followed by ACC because I worked with a clear conscience that I was there to serve and not for selfish intentions.”