Ousted National Democratic Congress secretary general Mwenya Musenge has announced that his party has pulled out of the Opposition Alliance.

And Musenge says NDC will participate in the National Dialogue Forum.

Meanwhile, Musenge says he will meet party ‘consultant’ Chishimba Kambwili and vice-president Joseph’s Akafumba on Wednesday.

Last week, Kambwili took up the NDC presidency and relegated Musenge to member of the central committee in charge of chiefs and traditional affairs but this was nullified by the Registrar of Societies after a complaint from the latter.

And at a press briefing, Monday evening at his Chillers Corner bar, Musenge said the NDC had pulled out of the opposition alliance.

“I want to appreciate the alliance, however, we have decided that we suspend our link to the alliance until at a time when the national governing committee deliberates on it and makes a party decision. We need to make a collective agreement and not a single individual saying we are a party. This is the reason why one party went to congratulate an individual as president,” Musenge said.

Musenge also said the NDC would participate in the National Dialogue process because it was law.

“It is also NDC position that we participate in the National Dialogue. It is law and we are all alive to the fact that it was passed in Parliament and UPND participated and it is law. It has to be respected. We are concerned that our colleagues in government may not mean well but that cannot be the reason to stay away. It is important that we engage them and if we are not comfortable we raise it there. We have appointed Mr Steven Chewe, one of our 10 office bearers, to represent the party at the national dialogue meeting in Lusaka,” he said.

Musenge said the NDC was going through some turbulence which will soon end.

“I called this brief to clear some of the issues in the public. I want to categorically state that after the guidance from the Registrar of Societies, the party status call remains. Which means that each and every person retains his former position. So all those changes and appointments do not apply. As a party, we are passing through a turbulent period, but I am very sure that very soon NDC shall be able to win and be strong,” Musenge said.

“The misconception that has been going round that I am going to bed with PF, that I have been bought, that I have been paid, that should be condemned and I clearly state here that there has never been such a thing. As an architect of the party, there are core values and principles which this party was founded, which I have tasked myself to defend. Therefore, there is nothing sinister by insisting that we follow the right procedures in doing everything within the party.”

He said he would meet Kambwili and Akufumba on Wednesday to resolve party issues.

“And more especially, we are bound by the constitution which we formed for ourselves. I wish to mention here that I gave engaged Honorable Chishimba Kambwili, we have spoken over the phone for the past two days and I have discussed with vice-president Josephs Akafumba and we are looking at having a round table meeting on Wednesday this week to try and resolve the impasse within the party. And I want to believe this will be done once and for all. In that vein, I wish to appeal to all members of the party and of course our sympathizers out there to remain calm as we work hard to find a common ground and and so end this problem we have encountered. In this regard, I wish to give a directive that our members should desist from making comments that work against NDC,” Musenge said.

“I pray that after the discussion, we will come out strong and a prosperous NDC. I will clearly state that it is with the interest of the party that I have taken certain decisions, not been bought or paid money for what? I want to appeal to our colleagues to follow the issues before us.”

Musenge announced that all the suspensions slapped on all NDC members are lifted.

“If we had any suspensions within the party, all are lifted with immediate effect. So Mr Chewe Steven (Kitwe NDC Chairman) resumes work. Our young man in Northern province Region Sinkonde also resumes his functions. I have noted also that from the Registrar of Societies, so party members have made unwarranted comments, that should come to an end especially those in the National Governing Committee, we don’t have the Central Committee, these are senior members of the party,” said Musenge.

“As Secretary General, I direct that each member should follow the instructions. As SG I want to labour hard that no one is suspended for the party during this period.”

Kambwili is scheduled to have a press briefing this morning to give his position on these issues.