By Burnett Munthali
It is sometimes easy to disrespect a leader for good reasons or no good reasons at all, sometimes due to the influence of others but the consequences that come as a result of insubordination are always hard and difficult. There is definitely a price for insubordination.
Silence of a leader can sometimes be miscalculated. I am reminded of a drunken master in a movie where the challenger thought he could easily beat the master because he was drunk. The challenger realized extremely late that he was being beaten at the very end of the movie and that the master was actually not drunk. So, the challenger lost the fight in this movie because of wrong judgement. Sometimes we lose certain battles in life because of miscalculations but one thing is that we must always learn something.
Who would want to be disrespected when in charge of any political party? Obviously, not even Grezelder Jeffrey would want to be undermined when in authority because leadership is about leaving others, giving directives, decisions, receiving respect, getting different opinion from team members but in a more respectful and peaceful manner.
There is a purpose for every fight and the main aim is surely to win that particular fight. However, The first thing Grezelder Jeffrey would have asked herself was whether she was going to win the fight or not. If she knew that she was likely to lose the fight it was wise not to start this battle. The second question was to ask herself whether it was necessary to wage that legal fight or not. Did Grezelder Jeffrey think she was going to win this battle in the first place against the DPP?
Lessons from every loss are many. Some of the lessons require one to stop and reflect on your conduct, move forward to the next level or retreat. It is imperative for Grezelder Jeffrey to think quickly and act now because time is not on her side. If she really is a bonafide member of the DPP she must go for a hearing now and not later. If not, then she must stay away and move on with no regrets later. One of the greatest lessons in life is never to accept being used by others because you look stupid when you fail to defend your own actions that you make in life.
Failing to appear before any disciplinary hearing without any excuse is indiscipline of its own kind. But I know that Grezelder Jeffrey is such a coward. She brags and talks sarcastically when time for interviews avails itself. In reality, Jeffrey lacks courage to talk about issues face to face, which is why she failed to appear before the disciplinary hearing. Do you remember what she did in court when she was sued for defamation by Ulemu Msungama in 2020? She simply cried in court and went down on her knees begging for mercy. That is how scared Grezelder Jeffrey is, she cannot face the committee at all.
Options are fundamental in life, and everyone experiences options once in a while in life which must be made at a certain time. Grezelder Jeffrey is at the crossroads of choosing from two options as the situation stands today. It is either she attends the disciplinary hearing and says something to defend herself or simply apologize during the session. The second option for Grezelder is to continue being arrogant, stay away from the disciplinary hearing, do not apologize, and take her new path, forge ahead and never look back. However, it will be exceedingly difficult for Jeffrey to remain in the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) with all the rudeness without appearing before the disciplinary hearing and expecting things to improve on their own, it will not just work for her that way.
In concussion, opinions are not by force, they must be expressed and given freely. Similarly, leadership is not by force, it is of the people, given by the people for the people. Let the best candidate win at the convention not at the High Court nor Supreme Court. Even the courts become fed up with injunctions after injunctions.