By GIDEON NYENDWA
IT is the preserve and sole responsibility of President Hakainde Hichilema to move Parliament to lift the immunity from prosecution of former President Edgar Lungu if he believes there is a prima facie case against him, Raphael Nakacinda has said.
Mr Nakacinda, the Patriotic Front (PF) information and publicity chairperson says the constitution was clear that only the President could move a motion in Parliament to remove the immunity of his predecessor to pave way for prosecution.
Mr Nakacinda said it was unconstitutional for the United Party for National Development (UPND) to suggest that the Patriotic Front (PF) should move a motion to compel Parliament to lift the immunity of the former President from prosecution.
He said it was mischievous for the UPND spokesperson Mr Cornelius Mweetwa to suggest that PF members of parliament should move a motion to lift former President Lungu’s immunity when he knew that would be a breach of the constitution.
Mr Nakacinda stated that Parliament would require a two-thirds majority vote to lift the immunity of the former President and not a simple majority as has been insinuated by Mr Mweetwa.
Mr Nakacinda was reacting to Mr Mweetwa’s statement that President Hichilema had no intention to lift Mr Lungu’s immunity from prosecution and instead proposed that the PF Members of Parliament should consider the motion.
He said calling for a private members motion or PF members move a motion was not admissible because the constitution had prescribed the method through which a former president could be investigated and prosecuted.
Mr Nakacinda also said UPND had been abusing state agencies conduct actions that were averse to the Constitution and that the law enforcement agencies would be made to account for committing constitutional transgressions.
He said the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC), the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and the Police as State institutions were being used to create a false perception that the PF was a corrupt political party.
