The opposition Movement for Multiparty and Democracy (MMD) says all its Members of Parliament from Eastern Province who are currently serving as Deputy Ministers in the Patriotic Front (PF) Government have continued to be loyal to the party that took them to parliament.
MMD Provincial Secretary, Samuel Lugomo Phiri told ZANIS in interview that Mkaika constituency MP David Phiri, Kapoche’s Nicholas Banda and Nyimba constituency MP Forrie Tembo have continued to follow the party’s guidelines.
He stated that they have remained loyal and followed the party’s ideals.
Mr Lugomo stated the three MPs do not support some of the ideas of the PF government, such as the lifting of immunity of former President, Rupiah Banda.
And The Civil Society for Poverty Reduction (CSPR) in Eastern Province has described calls to remove the immunity of fourth Republican President Rupiah Banda as a serious violation of the rule of natural justice.
CSPR Provincial Coordinator, Maxwell Nkhoma says the organization finds calls to remove Mr Banda’s immunity as premature because there is no evidence of corruption against him.
Mr Mwale explained that CSPR strongly believes that the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and other law enforcement agencies have not done enough up to this stage to show causes why the immunity of Mr Banda should be removed.
Mr Nkhoma said that there is need for law enforcement agencies to provide evidence to the public showing wrong doings by Mr Banda while he was in office.
He however, has advised those opposing the removal of the immunity of Mr Banda that Zambians are equal before the law regardless of status and the office one occupied.
Mr Nkhoma said that it is in this regard that necessary measures including removal of the immunity should be considered if the former head of state is found wanting.
Meanwhile the CSPR has demanded updates on investigations involving Justice Minister, Wynter Kabimba and Defence Minister, Geoffrey Mwamba on alleged corruption if equality before the law is to be seen.
Embattled Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) Copperbelt Chairman Joseph Chilambwe says the party will not support any calls for former President Rupiah Banda’s immunity to be lifted.
Mr Chilambwe said in an interview yesterday that the party was against the removal of Mr Banda’s immunity because it would set a bad image for the former head of State.
“We will not support the lifting of Mr Banda’s immunity because his legacy as a former President is not being respected,” he said.
Mr Chilambwe bemoaned the fact that the charges levelled against the former president where not brought to light during his tenure of office.
He observed that Government must set up a surveillance system that would monitor the conduct of heads of State during their tenure of office.
Mr Chilambwe said the setting up of a monitoring system would help heads of State maintain the nations trust even after their tenure of office.
Mr Banda’s immunity has been in the limelight of public debate with civil society organisations urging that Government must lift the former head of State’s immunity to enable him answer to the corruption charges levelled against him.
Transparency International Zambia (TIZ) and the Open Society Foundation are some the notable organisations advocating for Mr Banda’s immunity to be lifted.
ZANIS
Let Sata use Sekeni, M’membe, Kabimba, Masebo and Nchito to vote in Parliament while Zambians rubbish his incorrigible hatred and lack of vision. This rubbish will never give a job to our army of unemployed youth, put food on the table of Zambians or indeed meet their medical needs. Instead more plunder for criminal task force of vanity.
very misleading headlines ba LT.
How??
Very disciplined MPs, hope they wont be dropped from the ministry positions they hold
Do you think they care if they are dropped? They have just realized that they made a mistake to work with the snake!!! Remember one of them resigned from govt a few months back!!!
who resigned?
He was a Deputy Minister for Mines then.
Thanks to Samuel, David and Forrie.
Let Banda not hide behind this immunity nonsense! Him and his sons plundered public resourses big time and any well meaning Zambian knows that at the back of their heads! I am not a fun of Ukwa’s Govt.far from it but I support progressive moves. RB is a thief and he must answer,lift his damn immunity!atae!!!
All we are saying is show proof. What did they steal, where and when? With that information laid down we can then proceed. You seem to know something so spill the beans and we shall surely support the move to remove RBs immunity. Without hard facts, you are just accusing him.
ba Maz, in bemba there is a saying: mwinshinsha nshilanya (loosely translated as ‘don’t wipe my bottom before i poop’)….bola panshi, government will update the nation on this….nichani kubilima monga nikamunkoloko kama seconds?
What wrong has RB done? Document them and bring them foward as evidence. Lets be objective not partisan on this debate.
Those opposing and those defending the removal of the immunity must give reasons for their position don,t take any position if you can,t reasons for your position.
But Sata, kabimba, GBM, Nchito, Mmembe etc are plundering big time today, not yesterday. If Sata is serious about corruption he should hand himself to Chimbokaila together with the Bwinjimfumu Cartel of Plunderers of Plunder Loot. Then we will remove RB’s immunity at once. Then HH will be president.
Dream on my son. Dreams are refreshing. We won’t disburb you by waking you up from your sleep. Come on now, dream and enjoy!!!
THIS EASTERN PROVINCE MMD WATEVER HE IS MUST BE VERY STUPID MAN .IS HE GOING TO BE THEIR IN PARLIAMENT WEN VOTING ? HOW MANY INSTRUCTION HAV THEY GIVEN TO THOSE MPS BUT WEN THEY GO TO PARLIAMENT THEY EXACTLY OPPOSITE E.G WEN ELECTING THE SPEAKER WAT HAPPENED
Eastern MPs..this is the time to show your identity..if you vote for lifting of RB’s immunity ninshi ndimwe vipuba..be principled like the Tongas..
th mps ar principled and tht is th way things shd go.
Where are we on upgrading the roads? what time frame has prof. Chirwa made on building the rail line? Oh do we have a definite time frame to the constitution being completed by these “experts”. Also I would like to find out what is being done by our local municipal and city councils n terms of the plans they have in the way of waste management, street lighting and drainages. Pursuing RB is noble but you and I will both agree that we have bigger fish to fry.
I couldnt put it any better! I think this govt wont do a thing untill 2016, they have concentrated too much on pleasing Fred M’membe. When Fred says jump all of them especially the president says how high!!
Word going round is that the Eastern Province MPS serving as Deputy Ministers in Sata’s kingdom are about to resign and defect to the PF. They have lost all the principles they had by accepting to be deputies and now they are under pressure to resign and then re-contest the seats on the Pf ticket.
There is actually a very serious cartel going on and soon or later there will be several bye elections.
This man is dreaming. All the Ministers have been and are very loyal to the government. Dream on my brother. Like it or not when time comes RBs’ immunity will be removed. It only requires simple majority and the ruling party has the numbers especially that MMD and UPND are expelling their MPs. They are actually building PF rather than destroy it. Watch this space by end of this year UPND will never boast to own Southern Province. The ball has been set in motion, it will not rest until people of Southern Province are reunited with the rest of their brothers and sisters. ViVa Michae Sata.
LUAPULA ,NORTHERN,C/BELT ND 2 SOME EXTENT LUSAKA PROVINCES MPs R MORE PATRIOTIC AND HAD TO PUT N/ INTEREST AT FIRST WEN CHILUBA’S IMMUNITY WAS LIFTED.WHO IS RB IF HE BROKE ANY OF OUR LAWS? STOP DEFENDING CRIMINALS. PF GOV. HIT THEM HARD .BADELELA .
Of course they are cowards from east what do u expect from my mbuya’s from eastern province? They want to protect criminals, abashi corruption RB need to answer to all corruption allegations. So his immunity should be removed. I some how blame Late Mwanawasa for bring RB a poor farmer into politics, if RB was just left at his farm Zambia would have not been experiencing all this confusions about RB corruption and his family plus a son hiding in SA. Putting a country in confused state. Sorry RB your immunity gat to be removed period.
Can somebody explain to me the charges the media is talking about or mention them one by one.Who will explain is it the post or Kabimba or Sakeni or Lusaka times?
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That’s the way to go you Easterner Mps supporting your fellow tribes man,not the likes of foolish Masumba jealousy organises people to demonstrate against his fellow North westerner Muchima to please his masters when himself has a rotten fraud case awaiting.Masumba you are a disgrace to the people of NWP.Fighting respected people like ba Pande,Mulusa,Katuka we kasushi iwe.Hope now CNP and Winter know your true colours.We re very happy us at the mines you were a shame to work with.
According to some people it ok for a ngoni to support their own,then wrong for bembas to support Sata.a bemba in support of their own is tribalist