By SILUMESI MALUMO
WE shall not surrender or rest until the tribunal is appointed to look into issues surrounding the forest 27 because all Zambians must benefit equally, former Environment William Harrington has said.
Mr Harrington said he would fight to the bitter end and ensure a tribunal was appointed so that matters relating to forest 27 were resolved.
Recently, Mr Harrington engaged Chief Justice Ireen Mambilima to ensure that a tribunal was appointed but she transferred the matter to Deputy Chief Justice Michael Musonda.
Mr Justice Musonda then refused to set up a tribunal which then compelled Mr Harrington to sue Attorney General Likando Kalaluka as respondent on the matter.
Mr Harrington made an application in the High Court for a tribunal to be set up.
But Lusaka High Court Judge, Catherine Phiri, on Tuesday dismissed the matter on technicalities, among them the applicant’s failure to present grounds for the tribunal to be set up.
The Judge said she dismissed the application because it fell below the standard required by the court.
But in an interview yesterday, the former Minister said he would engage the lawyer so that the matter could be fought to the letter.
“I am very surprised about this judgement because in the Sylvia Masebo Tribunal we used the same format, so there is a precedence we are relaying on. So dismissing the same format is very surprising to us.
“So the lawyer said he will consult the High Court registry so that he can study the matter. Because we want to pursue this matter further, he will advise the way forward,” Mr Harrington said.
He said that he would not give up until justice prevailed.
I will not give up Forest 27 fight– Harrington
