‘UPND cadres being backed to defy the court order by a senior official’
By ROGERS KALERO
UPND cadres in Chililabombwe have continuously and repeatedly disobeyed a court injunction because they were allegedly being backed by a named senior government and party official,” investigations by the Daily Nation have revealed.
The UPND cadres have repeatedly disobeyed a court injunction which has restrained them from stopping or interfering with the business of 16 mealie meal traders in Konkola township despite being warned by the ChililabombweMagistrate’s Court.
This is a case where UPND cadres are alleged to have disobeyed a court injunction which was obtained by 16 mealie meal traders restraining them from interfering with their business in Konkola Township.
Investigations by the Daily Nation revealed that the cadres have continued to disobey the court order because they had the support of a senior government and party official.
One of the 16 mealie meal traders identified as Ms Juliet Tembo said some government officials in the area had confided in the traders that a senior government and party official was the one backing the UPND cadres to disobey the court order.
Ms Tembo said despite the UPND district chairman, Mr Timothy Musonda writing a letter of reversal, the cadres had continued to disobey the court order regarding the decision to ban the 16 mealie meal traders from conducting their business in Konkola Township.
“These UPND cadres have continued to disobey the court order despite the court injunction. Even after Mr Musonda wrote a letter to reverse the ban, they continued to stop us. Every time the court issues an order they go and do something contrary.
“When we engaged some government officials on why the UPND cadres had no regard for the courts of law, we were told that a named senior government and party official was backing them. This is sad and disappointing because ministers, Members of Parliaments and other government and party officials must tell cadres to respect the law,” Ms Tembo said.
The UPND cadres under the leadership of Mr Musonda had repeatedly ignored a court injunction which restrained them from stopping or interfering with their business of the 16 mealie meal traders in Konkola township of Chililabombwe.
On October 26, 2021, When Mr Musonda was summoned to answer contempt of court charges, he promised to write a letter to authorise the 16 mealie meal traders to conduct their business in Konkola township.
According to the letter obtained by the Daily Nation, dated October 27, 2021 signed by Mr Musonda and addressed to the District Commissioner, the UPND has reversed the suspension of the Community Truck passage to Konkola with immediate effect, in compliance with the court injunction in the matter.
“Reference is made to the letter dated 3rd September, 2021 in which the community Mealie Meal truck passage to Konkola was suspended.
“My office through the National Management serves to advise the reversal of the suspension of Community Truck passage to Konkola with immediate effect, in compliance with the court injunction in this matter,” read the reversal letter signed by Mr Musonda.
The letter was copied to Chililabombwe MP, the Mayor, constituency chairman and provincial chairman.
On September 3, 2021, Mr Musonda wrote a letter to ban the 16 mealie meal traders from conducting their business in Konkola township.
The letter which was obtained by the Daily Nation , signed by Mr Musonda and addressed to the District Commissioner, Mr Musonda said his office through the UPND National Management has allowed a new arrangement by the party to take over Konkola and Kasumbalesa Community Service.
The letter, which was written on September 3, 2021 stated that the party had decided that the permit for passage to trucks carrying mealie meal to Kasumbalesacommunity and Konkola Township by the current arrangement is suspended .
“I wish to advise that with immediate effect 3rd September, 2021 the party has decided that the permit for passage to trucks carrying mealie meal to Kasumbalesacommunity and Konkola Township by the current arrangement is suspended.
“My office through the National Management has allowed a new arrangement by the party to take over Konkola township and Kasumbalesa Community Service with immediate effect,” read the letter which was signed by the UPND District chairman Timothy Musonda.
The letter was copied to Chililabombwe MP Paul Kabuswe , Mayor, Constituency Chairman, Provincial Chairman and his personal file.
Last week, the Chililabombwe Magistrate Court ordered that Mr Musonda should appear in court on October 26, 2021 to answer contempt of court charges for allegedly disobeying a court injunction granted to 16 mealie meal traders in Konkola township.
The UPND cadres under the leadership of Mr Musonda have repeatedly ignored a court injunction which restrained them from stopping or interfering with their business of the 16 mealie meal traders in Konkola.
The UPND cadres disobeyed the court order and continued to stop the 16 traders from conducting their business, forcing them to seek a court intervention again
In response, to the complaints of the traders, the Magistrate Court ordered that Mr Musonda should appear in court on October 26, 2021 to hear the Plaintiff’s application for contempt of court.
“Upon hearing counsel for the plaintiff and upon reading the affidavit sworn by John Mukonko and filed herewith, it is hereby ordered that the date scheduled for hearing of the plaintiff application be and is hereby varied and/or abridged.
“It is further ordered that the plaintiff’s application for contempt of court be heard on the 26th Day of October 2021 at 14.00 hours in the afternoon,” read the Ex-ParteOrder from the Magistrate Court.
On Tuesday, the court ordered that Mr Musonda should appear in court to answer contempt of court charges on November 4, 2021, but the date was brought forward to October 26, after complaints from the 16 traders that the UPND cadres had continued to disobey the court order.
Ends.
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