Umodzi Kum’mawa red cards Speaker over JJ

…urges UPND to stop ‘mingalato’ for political expediency with the view of turning the country into a one-party state.

By NATION REPORTER

THE action by Speaker Nelly Mutti to notify the Electoral Commission of Zambia that the Petauke Central seat held by Emmanuel Jay Banda had fallen vacant was illegal, irrational, and undermined the fundamental principles of democracy.
The Kum’mawa Development Coalition says the authority to declare a parliamentary seat vacant solely lied with the courts, and not with the Speaker.
Coalition spokesperson Chanoda Ngwira said the maneuver by UPND was a reflection of a trend of desperation aimed at increasing their numbers in Parliament through the misuse of state institutions.
“The actions taken in Kawambwa, where the law was disregarded despite an existing court order, serve as a troubling precedent. Now, we witness a similar affront to legal processes in Petauke, showing a blatant disregard for the rule of law,” Mr Ngwira said in a statement yesterday.
Mr Ngwira urged UPND to stop its tactics to annihilate the opposition and instead respect the democratic principles that govern the nation.
“Their attempts to manipulate parliamentary representation for political gain threaten the integrity of our democratic processes and the trust of the electorate,” he said.
The spokesperson appealed to the Electoral Commission of Zambia to reject the notification.
Mr Banda the Petauke Central Independent Member of Parliament has been missing for a while after allegedly being abducted by unknown persons.
He went missing while he was admitted to Chipata General Hospital where he was receiving treatment.
The state charged Mr Banda with a case of aggravated robbery over a natter that happened nearly a decade ago and was disposed of by the courts of law.
Last week, the Speaker Ms Mutti gave Mr Banda a seven-day ultimatum to show up or have his seat declared vacant.
The following day, Jack Mwiimbu, the Home Affairs and Internal Security told the nation that Mr Banda had been arrested in Zimbabwe where he was renting a flat and living like a typical Zimbabwean.