"Miles Sampa has taken over. Not even a powerful team of 300 lawyers can reverse Sampa’s move!" - Nkombo.
“Miles Sampa has taken over. Your defense will not work, even if you constitute a powerful team of 300 lawyers. You need to understand that this country is being governed by different people, and these people are UPND and Hakainde Hichilema in government!” – Gary Nkombo.
Mpandashalo Mwewa | Chief Editor.
Lusaka, Oct. 31 – What Mr. Hichilema does not seem to understand is that the bedrock of our multiparty democracy is the rule of law and that means we have to have an independent judiciary, judges who can make decisions independent of the political winds that are blowing. Judge Chocho’s recent ruling was an embarrassment to the justice system in Zambia and the buck stops with President Hakainde Hichilema. Shame!
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By compromising the Judiciary, Hichilema has, unfortunately, started a war against the very people he must protect, the general citizenry. He ought to understand that he is more than just a UPND president, he is the President of the Republic of Zambia, a President for all Zambians.
It cannot be overemphasised that multiparty democracy requires the rule of law and justice, and a judicial system in which the rights of some are not secured by the denial of rights to others. It’s for this reason that Dr. Lubinda Haabazoka’s recent sentiments cannot pass without comment. It’s a timely piece of wisdom that those blinded by partisan politics ought to read and reflect on. He wrote…
“Imagine a few friends and I held a FAZ elections at a lodge in Lusaka. Could we take over football house? You can hate someone but don’t accept clownish behaviour! When are we ever going to be serious?
As a society, accepting such behaviour, we risk degrading into anarchy where no one will have respect of the basic rights of citizens so long they have the police and the army on their side!
We can all own anything but not the compromise of the legal system! Those who even suffer most from such are the ones in the forefront supporting illegality! I have been at this point before of trying to defend the law and I hope in the future, I won’t be forced to defend the very people undoing the Constitution! I hope we break this sequence now!”
“We can all own anything but not the compromise of the legal system! Those who even suffer most from such, are the ones in the forefront supporting illegality!” – Dr. Lubinda Haabazoka.
It’s against the backdrop of Dr. Haabazoka’s reasoning that it is unforgivable for the Judiciary to abandon its role of providing justice and join Hichilema’s dictatorial Executive in raping multiparty democracy in Zambia.
And to perpetrate anarchy in the Patriotic Front, against the tenets of multiparty democracy, the Judiciary has decided to wait an entire month to determine what even a Grade 7 drop out would preside over in minutes.
“How does a court find it possible to allow the side seeking to take over an established political party to have a whole month of ownership of that party, before the case is heard to determine whether the process by which they took it over is legal?” wonders a UPND inclined Human Rights Commissioner, Laura Miti.
The answer to Laura Miti’s sentiments can be found in the recent statement by the Minister of Local Government, Hon. Gary Nkombo who made it clear that the UPND is in charge of the Judiciary.
“You need to sober up, I think that will help. That’s a term that I can use. Otherwise, Mr. Lungu and his team, they are in serious problems because Miles Sampa has taken over. This is what we call politics, modern politics. To put up a defense, it will not work. No matter how powerful, you can even constitute a powerful team of about 300 lawyers or more than that. You need to understand that this country is being governed by different people, and these people are UPND and Hakainde Hichilema in government,” Hon. Nkombo contemptuously boasted.
Also Read: Politics is not war, but a contest of ideas – VJ
No Mr. Nkombo, that’s not modern politics. Your actions with Miles Sampa are not only undemocratic, they are barbaric. Only a shameless despot would be proud to utter your words.
But this should say magnitudes about the seriousness of the current Chief Justice, Mumba Malila. Hon. Nkombo’s contemptuous statement will, of course, pass unnoticed. Should Malila wait for a tribunal post 2026 general elections or should he step down now on moral grounds? They say it is not enough to have a good mind. The main thing is to use it well. This is the same man who recently deliberately forgot the position of the Republican Constitution on homosexuality in Zambia!
About our Advocacy: At Woodpecker’s Digest, we see it as our job to put constant pressure on our leaders until we get answers. Journalism maintains democracy. It is a great tool for progressive social change!
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Putting news into perspective
One day, even here in Zambia, there shall be bloodshed and politicians will be to blame. Is this the rule of law Hichilema has been talking about? Where’s his conscience? Is he trying to tell us that he is so stupid to believe that what took place at Mulungushi International Conference Centre was a PF General Conference? God help Zambia!