By ROGERS KALERO
CHILILABOMBWE UPND cadres have disregarded an interim injuctionstopping them from intefering or stopping mealie meal traders from conducting their business in Konkola township.
Ms Elizabeth Simbeye, secretary of the 16 mealie meal traders said it was disappointing that cadres of the ruling party were disregarding the Court Orderwhen the republican President Hakainde Hichilema had emphasised on the importance of respecting the three wings of government.
Ms Simbeye was speaking in an interview yesterday after the UPND cadres in Chililabombwe decided to ignore the court order after the Magistrate Court ruled that the injunction granted to the 16 mealie meal traders was still in force and no UPND cadre should interfere with the operations of the traders.
But, the UPND cadres ignored the court order and yesterday refused to allow the 16 mealie meal traders to conduct business in the area despite the court injunction.
Ms Simbeye said she was shocked and disappointed that despite the Magistrate warning the cadres against ignoring the court injunction, the UPND cadres went ahead to stop the 16 mealie traders from conducting their business in KonkolaTownship.
“We are shocked that the UPND cadres have become so big to the level where they are even ignoring the court order. On Tuesday, the magistrate warned the UPND cadres to stop interfering with the business of the 16 traders, but when we went to sell our mealie meal, we were stopped by the security wings at the check point.
“The security wings said they had instructions from the District Administrative Officer (DAO), Chipawa Chipawa. When we went to see the DAO, he also said there was nothing he can do because instructions are coming from above,” MsSimbeye said.
On Tuesday, the Court ruled that UPND Chililabombwe District Chairman Timothy Musonda should appear in court to answer contempt of court charges on November 4, 2021. This is a case where Mr Musonda is alleged to have ignored a court injunction which was obtained by 16 mealie meal traders restraining UPND cadres from interfering with their business in Konkola Township.
The Court made the ruling yesterday after the parties concerned were summoned to hear of an application on behalf of the Plaintiff to grant leave to commence contempt of court proceedings against the Defendant, his servants or any other persons for reasons sufficiently stated in the Affidavit in support filed hereof .
In delivering the ruling, the court ruled that the injunction granted to the 16 mealie meal traders to restrain the ruling UPND cadres from stopping them or interfering with their business in Konkola township was still intact which the UPND cadres had ignored.
