Chaos climaxed Julius Malema’s storied visit to the NDC facilitated Arise Ghana event at the College of Physicians and Surgoens.
The usual quiet night of the President Kufuor edifice was disturbed by the uncontrolled anger and outburst of irate NDC youth hurling insults in unprintable Twi and Hausa languages against leaders and organisers of the event.
“You didn’t bring us here to come and listen to this small boy insult Mahama and tell us that “the duty of Former African Presidents is to stay home, offer consultations and honour State functions,” sections of them were heard shouting as they moved towards their designated NDC branded buses that conveyed them from across the capital.
“You posted on our WhatsApp groups that he is coming to help our campaign and blast Akufo-Addo and Bawumia, …so what does he mean that a former President should not become a President again,” a lady draped in a red crewneck shirt and an accompanying beret and NDC muffler, could be heard in the not to far distance.
After the event, Malema’s close assigns said, the highpoint of the EFF founder’s visit to Accra was certainly not the the much-touted NDC event but an earlier meeting and interaction with former President John Kufuor at the two-term President’s statesmanly Peduase home.
Malema himself was clearly disappointed at how the general Ghanaian populace seemed uninterested in seeing him in Ghana, which is globally touted as the cradle of true Pan-Africanism.
In what was more like just a far from inspiring speech than a dialogue, Malema took no prisoners in his ruthless and uncompromising tirade against John Mahama, amidst murmurs of disapproval from disappointed NDC folks in the auditorium.
He described John Mahama as a greedy former President who has no business with being President again, and is supposed to sit at home, receive courtesy calls, like President Kufuor earlier that day, and be the statesman that he is supposed to be.
“A former President should not force himself into power again, he should remain a statesman, and give good counsel to young leaders”, he bellowed amidst echoes to the obviously unenthusiastic NDC audience.
He went on that, “you cannot be President again and leave office in a coffin. Stay as a former President, we will give you a state funeral, because you are a former President; we will pay your pension; and give you protection and take care of you, as long as you respect those who came after you.
“You have to ensure that democracy matures in such a manner in Africa where the previous President does not make it his business to fight the current President”, he sent a direct jab to former President Mahama.
In what has turned out as a clear case of misfired agenda, the organisers are yet to make a statement on why Malema clearly couldn’t stick to the NDC campaign script.