Sampa's latest case further exposes the UPND as a No. 1 party in not respecting the rule of law!

Jack Mwiimbu, disregarding the rule of law, has pressured the Registrar to ignore the Court Order obtained by the Patriotic Front and accept Miles Sampa’s sham election.

Lusaka, Oct. 25 – Emeritus Archbishop Telesphore Mpundu, in his earlier communique about the abuse of State power and the emerging dictatorial tendencies by the New Dawn Administration, reminded the Registrar of Societies that she is not a regulator of political parties.

“We want to remind the captured Registrar of Societies that she’s NOT a Regulator of political parties and must not be abused by some shenanigans in the Executive. Please stop interfering in political parties’ internal affairs like the holding of conventions and the like,” read, in part, the communique.

Also Read: The UPND administration has abused the State Institutions of Good Governance for political purposes.

Minister of Home Affairs and Interior Affairs, Hon. Jack Mwiimbu has given strict instructions for Chief Regsitrar Office to recognise Miles Sampa as leader of the Patriotic Front.

On Independence Day on Tuesday, 24th October 2023, Sampa held an illegal Patriotic Front (PF) Extra-Ordinary General Conference sponsored by State House at which he elected himself as Patriotic Front President.

The UPND Government has sponsored a faction into the PF which should be led by Sampa and want it to recognise it to displace the legitimate Patriotic Front.

However, Article 75 of the PF Constitution describes how an Extra-Ordinary General Conference is held:

▪️Notice is required for such a Conference.
▪️The Conference is chaired by the National Chairperson of the Party.
▪️Candidates are scrutinized by the National Council.
▪️The National Council is the highest policy-making body of the Party in the interval between the General Conference as prescribed in Article 50.

The National Council comprises:

1. Members of the Central Committee.
2. Members of Parliament.
3. Provincial Secretaries.
4. District Chairmen.
5. Members of Women and Youth Leagues.

None of these people, MPs, Members of Central Committee, and party leaders, were present at Sampa’s Conference.

The Patriotic Front has since expelled Miles Sampa from the Party for gross indiscipline.

On Wednesday morning, the Lusaka High Court granted an Exparte Order restraining Hon. Miles Sampa from holding himself as a member of the Patriotic Front or leader of the Patriotic Front. But Hon. Mwiimbu is said to be giving excess pressure to have the Chief Registrar to recognise the sham process by Sampa.

And former MMD Secretary General and former Zambia’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN), Mr. Muhabi Lungu, has described the event as very tragic for the country’s democracy, stating that it was aimed at creating absolute confusion in the opposition Patriotic Front.

“It would be very hard to believe that the governing party, the UPND, is not actively pushing this agenda. This is a clear sign that those in power do not believe in democracy. This should be condemned by every right thinking and well meaning Zambian. In my humble opinion there is no part of this that can be defended. Absolutely none! ” he lamented.

Also Read: Lungu describes Miles Sampa’s convention as a tragedy for the country’s multiparty democracy.

And Cuban, a Zambian pro democracy activist, entrepreneur and blogger, has observed that the Matero Lawmaker and the UPND have inadvertently exposed their vulnerabilities to the Zambian population, thereby highlighting the strength of the Patriotic Front (PF) as the main opposition party.

Also Read: Sampa’s illegal convention may damage the political credibility of the UPND!

It is evident that the cries of the masses have been heard, and it is abundantly clear that people will not align themselves with a person like Miles Sampa. It is apparent that the PF’s strength as the main opposition party is prevailing, and with the changing political landscape, the aspirations of the UPND and Miles Sampa could face an uphill battle to regain relevance.

Woodpecker’s Digest is Zambia’s fastest growing portal for news analyses and commentaries on topical issues of national interest and for articles on personal development and health!