By PETER SICHALI and KETRA KALUNGA
IT is abuse of court process for the Saboi Imboela-led NDC faction to take the matter to court that is already in another court, Akufumba NDC faction acting vice president Edward Mumbi has said. But Ms Imboela has given Mr Joseph Akafumba and Ms Bridget Atanga 48 hours to stop masquerading as party officials or be sued.
Mr Mumbi said the NDC would report Ms Imboela’s lawyers to the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) for misleading their clients. He said it was unfortunate that Ms Imboela’s lawyers had decided to disregard the Ndola High Court order. “We will soon be reporting Fred Jere and his associates to LAZ for misleading their clients on the court injunction that ordered Chishimba Kambwili and his servants to stop masquerading as NDC,” Mr Mumbi said.
He said it was unfortunate the Saboi-led faction and their lawyers has continued misleading courts. Mr Mumbi accused Ms Imboela of trying by illegal means to hold on to NDC to accommodate Mr Kambwili in an event that the PF dumps him after the 2021 general elections. Mr Mumbi said was not in order to start a matter when there was another matter with similar facts in another court. “It is even laughable to respond to that group of indecent Zambians that do not have regard for the law, you cannot start a matter when there is an existing matter in court with similar facts,” Mr Mumbi said.
Ms Imboela however said the party was shocked that despite being expelled, Mr Akafumba and Ms Atanga had continued to masquerade as NDC officials. Ms Imboela said the former party officials were expelled from the party central committee in March this year and never contested their expulsions. She said it was obvious that the “rebels” had decided to join forces with the UPND and seemed not to have political relevance away from association with the NDC.
“’Despite not having a following in the party, these former leaders have managed to create a media circus and continued to portray themselves as NDC when in fact not. “The rebels have continued to masquerade as NDC officials just to maintain some political relevance,” she said.
Ms Imboela said Mr. Akafumba had been elusive and had refused to accept the terms in the demand letter that they stop masquerading as NDC officials. Others in the Akafumba faction were Richard Luonde, Joseph Chishala, Joseph Kasonde, Tazifa Mwanza, Professor Muyenga Atanga, and Luhila Akashondola.
