Lawyers representing UPND Vice President Geoffrey Mwamba in a case were he is charged with one count of proposing violence have applied that the matter be a referred to the constitution court to determine the constitutionality of the indictment.
The defence team led by Jack Mwiimbu argued that the charge slapped on their client is an abrogation of his rights to freedom of expression.
The defence submitted that the constitutional court should determine whether the use of the idiom ‘I will go for his throat’ should be removed from the vocabulary because it amounts to a criminal offence.
And Defence counsel Martha Mushipe contended that the words uttered by the accused person consist of a figurative speech.
Mrs. Mushipe argued that even if it is proved that Mr. Mwamba uttered the said words, they would not constitute a criminal offence.
The case which was scheduled for commencement of trial before Magistrate Jennifer Bwalya has since been adjourned to May 3rd 2016 to allow the state to make submissions, 18th May to allow the defence to respond to the state’s submission and 2nd June for ruling and possible commencement of trial.
And addressing hundreds of UPND supporters who marched to the Magistrate Court to offer solidarity, Mr Mwamba thanked his supporters saying time for redemption is coming soon in August.
Meanwhile, UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema said it was important for the entire party leadership to offer solidarity to Mr Mwamba.
“In trying moments such as these it’s important to provide support and encouragement to one another, and we thank all those who joined us,” Mr Hichilema said.
Ginger Bread Man (GBM) stop wasting our time. A foul mouth scum purporting to be a Vice President in waiting. Are these the manners Hakainde is teaching you? You birds of rotten feathers. Your president can’t even condemn your insults and outbursts. “We must rally behind GBM” and ka Hakainde calls himself a leader? Hakainde is just using you. You FO0L you’ll go back to PF crawling when you realise that Hakainde is just an arssehole and a piece of SHlT
The entire UPND leadership should be out there campaigning and explaining your policies to the masses instead of attending court cases. If not for dictatorial and egoistical HH, the entire UPND leadership would rather have nothing to do with GBM, he’s a divisive, opportunistic and volatile balloon.
Zambians can see through this desperation.
Picture 2 is that Frank Bwalya? He is also giving solidarity to GBM????/
Viva UPND! Thanks for turning up in the hundreds. The PF police now know that they can longer intimidate our cadres with teargas. They’re desperate to keep their jobs in the new govt.
This is very embarrassing that a state prosecutor can take this case to court. Bane, inga tamwaishiba ichisungu, muleikale fye ( if you do not have a good command go English, stay away from court).This language has idioms, metaphors etc…and to use tax payers money arguing about this is in court. PF are notoriously dull, the took Frank Bwalya to court for calling Sata- chumbu mushololwa …
I think “I will go for HIS throat” is slightly different from what the actual Idiom say or was meant to be used. What GBM should have said is “I will go for THE throat…,” making sure he removed any ambiguity as to what he really meant. His lawyer may want us to believe that what GBM meant by using this common idiom was “PUTTING AN END or BRINGING FINALITY TO WHATEVER SITUATION/CONFLICT he perceived existed between him (GBM) and the President. But the CONTEXT and TONE of GBM’s own statement/Rant betrays him—GBM sounded angry and “matter of fact” in his tone!
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Anyone who listens to what GBM said, and the context in which the utterances were made, will have a hard time to conclude that what he said was not a veiled threat to someone—let alone the President!
To me, GBM comes across as someone who is very IMPULSIVE in everything he says and does. He doesn’t seems to think through the consequences of his actions—this classic Kaponya mentality.
Maureen Mwanawasa looks a little frail and unsteady in the picture, is everything OK with our former first lady? Maybe it is just the camera playing tricks.
Mr/Mrs/Miss Yambayamba,
It does not matter whether one says “his” throat or “the throat”, the meaning is the same. To say “his” throat simply adds a specific subject to the idiom. As far as idioms go, this one is no threat of violence in itself. If Mr Mwamba said anything which, when added with this idiom constitutes a violent threat that would be another matter, but on these words alone there should be no case.
Its surprising that the entire UPND leadership have not condemned this so called GMB for his rather repugnant and insulting way he spoke. Instead they are hiding behind the smoke screen of supporting his court battles. Listen Zambians, HH does not mean well, he has spent far too much of his own money on the party and wants it back. The only way to get it back is to get to plot 1. HH has never declared free and fair elections in his party its now almost 10years. His policies are based on fear and warmongering, I have challenged the UPND leadership but till today I have never received a reply. just as I challenged the biased and repugnant reporting of his so called media machinery the watch dog, they too have failed to reply. Zambians come together and choose your leaders wisely and based…
It Free expression and can not understand how the whole judicial system would tolerate such a case. He did not hit anyone so whats the matter. It is direct translation as per our languages. Nala Kwikata Pamukoshi??? PF have no case. let them get serious
GBM a known thug and wife beater, some of us are on record of wishing he would leave PF I’m so happy the problem has been transferred somewhere else.
I feel so sorry for those UPND supporters who have been brainwashed by HH and his mindcontrollers however reason and good judgment by the majority of Zambians that still want PF will win the day come August, 11.
2016 ECL nafuti
Just a waste of state resources which could have been used to put up overtaking lanes on the Great North North. Let us go for Changwa’s throat on 11/8. The so called people with G12 certificates are illiterates who fail to understand the use of this phrase in English.
Ni Hitler salute? Careful otherwise you will be misunderstood .
GBM SHOULD BE ROCKED IN POLICE CELLS OR JAILED UNTILL ELECTION GONE
Ati “rocked” nafi ma capital letters, you should be “rocked” for abusing the queens language, kalembe G12 wenkoko we
Upnd time wasters
Wenyo ba UPND Changwa azawina wenyo
WE ZAMBIAN S MUST BE CAREFUL IN THE WAY WE ARTICULATE ISSUES. GBM KNOW WHAT HE MEANT BUT POLICE TWISTED THE LANGUAGE WHICH EXACTLY ENTELLS THE FAILURE OF VOCABULARY IN THEIR SEARCH OF LANGUAGE. WE HAD IN INCIDENT WHERE THE WORD ‘USEFUL FOOL’ WAS THROWN IN AND BROUGHT POLICE TO ITS UNPROFESSIONAL WAY OF ARREST BUT IT ALL ENDED WITH NOTHING. MEET THE WATERLOO, ALL THESE ARE WORDS THAT ARE DIFFICULTY TO US AFRICANS BECAUSE ENGLISH IS OUR SECOND LANGUAGE. ASK WHERE IT IS POSSIBLE AND YOU WILL NOT BE SEEN AS FOOLS IN THE EYES OF MANY.
Nicholas – Ulichikopo iwe. GBM should be ROCKED. Even simple words like LOCK. Look at Chumbu munshololwa (Frank Bwalya) these are the guys who were feasting from GBM’s home. This could explain why he looks so sombre in the court room.
Nicholas you are a fool
Seems UPND Vice-President for Politics, the scruffy and dirt looking Kamwenfu has fallen on hard times. His facial expression just reminds one of poverty the veep is going through. Can abena Nselensele GBM and the UPND Supreme being do something about it. These two gentlemen Ichilema and Kamwenfu continues to look ugly and scruffy with each day that passes
Ba Caniscious how patriotic are you. you even wear a scuff of south africa. u can’t afford a zambian one. just my observation
i like th bitterness shown in pic 1 by hh
Kamwenfu couldn’t even afford a Zambian Scuff and went for the South African one. No patriotism in these guys. Look at their gullible supporters busy showing the Hitler salute
TO GBM,HH & THE ENTIRE UPND-PROBLEMS ARE NOT STOP SIGNS,THEY ARE GUIDELINES.DIFFICULTIES DONT COME TO DESTROY US BUT TO HELP US REALISE OUR HIDDEN POTENTIALS.HOWEVER GOOD OR BAD A SITUATION IS,IT WIL CHANGE.TO MY FELLOW ZAMBIAN VOTERS I SAY,’WE CAN NOT SOLVE OUR PROBLEMS WITH THE SAME THINKING WE USED WHEN WE CREATED THEM’.
If UPND is not careful it will spend useful time defending and trying to justify GBM’s utterances and rantings. Just yesterday UPND cadres were trying in vain to defend his abusive language. Do we really have time for all this nonsense. GBM is decampaigning UPND and very one including HH is saying lets offer solidarity.
we know that frank bwalya is not a very learnrd person but honestly does the jusiciary not know that what GBM used was not a threat buta phrase? like idioms and phrases.
Its surprising that the entire UPND leadership have not condemned this so called GMB for his rather repugnant and insulting way he spoke. Instead they are hiding behind the smoke screen of supporting his court battles. Listen Zambians, HH does not mean well, he has spent far too much of his own money on the party and wants it back. The only way to get it back is to get to plot 1. HH has never declared free and fair elections in his party its now almost 10years. His policies are based on fear and warmongering, I have challenged the UPND leadership but till today I have never received a reply. just as I challenged the biased and repugnant reporting of his so called media machinery the watch dog, they too have failed to reply. Zambians come together and choose your leaders wisely and based…
2020 VISION – I disagree with you on one point. That you are glad the problem has been transferred to another party. GBM has no qualities being in any party, UPND, UNIP, FDD or PF, he is a megalomaniac (using Mpombo’s language), who is full of himself. His focus is not about bettering the lives of Zambians but on enlarging his pockets. God help us if he ever became president.
What a mamoth task! The Constitutional Court to determine whether the Idiom should be removed from the vocabularly? Zambian English!!!!!!!!! Hahahaaaaa!!
GBM – Mr. Fat Albert, here is my advice for free. Tame your mouth.
The political game you have come to embrace will surely sort your arrogance out. Constitutional court my foot. Looks like this party is full of bitter little crooked stooges. You are not above the law, goon!
@Lombe, everyone is not limited in understanding things as you are, the constitution enshrines free expression to all citizens, including GBM. Lungu exposed himself by falsefying politically motiveted charges to arest GBM and he in return expressed himself politically.according to the ordeal he was put through.