Nawakwi third term bid may fail

Wed, 18 Jan 2017 10:56:52 +0000

By CHIKUMBI KATEBE

FORUM for Democracy and Development (FDD) president Edith Nawakwi should be careful not to undermine the authority of the courts by going ahead with their convention when there is a legal suit against them, some FDD members have warned.

Elijah Kamfwa, a senior member of the FDD party, has told the Daily Nation in an interview that he was not aware of people going ahead with preparations for a convention because there was a court case concerning the matter.

He said it would be absurd for anybody to undermine a court process and go ahead with an action that was contrary to the law.

“I do not think anybody can stand up to speak about a matter that is already before court.

“I am not aware of anybody going ahead with the preparations for a convention because we know that would be undermining the court process,” he said.

He explained that as FDD members, they were aware of the court case in progress and would not interfere with it, and called for respect of the court’s authority on the matter.

Last week, FDD secretary general Nathan Mulonga was quoted in the media as having said that preparations for the forthcoming party convention scheduled for February month end had advanced.

But Lusaka High Court Justice Anessie Banda-Bobo set February 2, 2017 as date for hearing of contempt allegations against the party secretary general and other members who are said to have ignored a court injunction when they converged a meeting and decided to suspend and expel some members as well as amend the party constitution to allow the incumbent president to stand for re-election at the next convention.

Justice Banda-Bobo signed an ex-parte order granting leave to commence committal proceedings for contempt of court against Mr Mulonga after the party went ahead to suspend and expel some of its members in total disregard of the court injunction.

Bwalya Ng’andu and Kaluba Musenda Simuyembe, asked the court for an order to stop FDD from expelling them.