I only gave counsel to HH against rigging – Katele

By NATION REPORTER …submits before court that his pre-election message to President Hichilema was not intended to harass him but to caution against rigging elections that could lead to instability, says he wanted the head of State to uphold the Constitution, respect human life FORMER Finance Minister Katele Kalumba has testified in court that his remarks ahead of the August 13 general elections were merely intended as counsel to President Hakainde Hichilema to uphold the Constitution and prevent detentions and abductions that had rocked the pre-election period. Kalumba said this after pleading not guilty to one count of seditious practices, explaining that his intention was to advise the President on his constitutional responsibilities. “My intention was to make a pure statement of counsel to my beloved President of Zambia that he carries himself as expected by the Constitution as the Republican President, to respect life as provided for in the Bill of Rights and to prevent detentions and abductions without clear cause, such as the detention of musicians in Mongu, counsel not to rig elections that it could cause instability” Katele told the court. However, Lusaka Magistrate Webster Milumbe recorded a plea of not guilty after he justified the reason for making the remarks, paving the way for trial. Kalumba, 74, who is also a public health and behavioural scientist, traditional leader and Sub-Chief Matende Walushiba of Chiengi in Luapula Province, was granted K100, 000 bail in his own recognisance. He is required to provide two working sureties based in Lusaka in like sums. During the proceedings, the State obtained consent to prosecute Kalumba from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and applied to substitute the indictment before he took plea. Kalumba told the court that although the statement was his, he did not post it on his Facebook page. He is alleged to have uttered seditious words on his Facebook page between August 1 and 13, 2026, at an unknown place in Zambia. In the alleged remarks, Kalumba accused the President of failing to protect citizens and claimed that abductions, deaths and strangulations were occurring in the country. He also allegedly warned that there would be unrest if the elections were rigged

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