RESOLVE PF CASES, CHANGALA TELLS JUDICIARY

By BARNABAS ZULU

CHIEF Justice Dr Mumba Malila should redeem the Judiciary from accusations that it has been part of the scheme by the UPND administration to kill and annihilate the Patriotic Front (PF), the country’s largest opposition political party by ensuring that the leadership disputes are expeditiously resolved following Miles Sampa’s confession that his convention that installed him as leader of the former ruling party was in fact illegal,” Brebner Changala has said.
Mr Changala, a civil rights and political activist has appealed to Dr Malila to ensure that PF leadership disputes before the courts are resolved without further delay, now that Mr Sampa has submitted before the court that his election as PF president was illegal, null and void.
Speaking in an interview yesterday, Mr Changala said it was unfortunate that PF cases had dragged on for years without the Judiciary taking decisive action.
“The PF matters have dragged in court for many years and they have never been heard. This has sent shivers to the people who are wondering about the state of our judiciary.
Now that submissions have been heard before a competent court, on how that October 24, 2023 convention has been disowned by the convenor, we expect the Judiciary not to adjourn this matter sine die where it has dragged on,” Mr Changala said.
Mr Changala stressed that concluding the PF matter was vital for the growth of democracy.
“Our appeal to the Judiciary and the Chief Justice is to help democracy flourish and conclude this matter expeditiously. We have a challenge in the Judiciary where PF matters are never given a returnable date – they are adjourned sine die. That is the bedrock of injustice. Our appeal is that this matter must be closed and closed forthwith,” he said.
He commended the PF membership for remaining united and loyal despite alleged state interference.
“We must also thank the general membership of the Patriotic Front for their resilience and their support for holding on steadfast to what belongs to them despite the state interference.
We must also congratulate the Patriotic Front for its resilience and for standing for the late President Edgar Chagwa Lungu whilst he was going through trials and tribulations,” Mr Changala said.
“He was abused, insulted, demeaned and treated like any other common citizen, and yet the entire membership stood by him up to the time of his demise. That is a mark of humanity. It is a commendable spirit of Ubuntu,” he said.
Turning to Mr Sampa, the PF faction leader, Mr Changala challenged him to disclose the people behind the disputed convention, so that Zambians should know who was working at killing democracy by sponsoring confusion in the former ruling party.
“And Miles Sampa – we are urging him to make revelations as to who was behind this criminality. Who sponsored the convention? Who directed the state police to protect you to perform an illegality? Who took the fingerprints in the middle of the night? These are legitimate questions needed to settle the PF matters amicably,” Mr Changala said