A ZAMBIA News and Information Services (ZANIS) official had a tough time yesterday to explain to the High Court how United Party for National Development (UPND) cadres attacked Patriotic Front (PF) supporters in Sinazongwe Constituency as his video did not show the actual attacks by UPND.
This is in a case in which losing PF Sinazongwe Member of Parliament (MP) Richwell Siamunene has asked the High Court to declare the election of UPND MP Gift Sialubalo as null and void.
Siamunene, 44, has told the High Court that the election of Sialubalo during the August 11, 2016 General Elections could not be deemed to be free and fair because of alleged widespread violence, intimidation, bribery and other electoral malpractices instigated by UPND supporters.
He is being represented by Bonaventure Mutale of Ellis and Company as well as Friday Besa of Besa Legal Practitioners while Mr Sialubalo is being represented by Cheelo Mwiinga of MAK Partners.
During cross examination before High Court Judge Matthews Zulu in Livingstone yesterday, ZANIS Choma editor Mike Munkombwe ,31, said his camera only managed to capture the victims of the attacks who were in PF regalia.
“It was difficult for me to capture UPND cadres when they were attacking PF supporters because we were not allowed to go beyond certain points.
“However, I managed to capture the victims of the attacks displayed in the video which was also aired on Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) TV1 and TV2,” Mr Munkombwe said.
This was after Mr Mwiinga asked Mr Munkombwe to state if he saw any violence in his first video captured on the Nominations Day on May 31, 2016.
In response, Mr Munkombwe said he saw violence in the videos for Nomination Day and on the Voting Day (August 11, 2016)
“Since you are saying you have seen the violence in your video, I want you to show the Court who was attacking who in the video. Do you see anyone attacking another person in the video?” Mr Cheelo asked Mr Munkombwe who responded that it was difficult to capture the attackers (UPND).
Three videos, which were filmed in Sinazongwe Constituency by Mr Munkombwe, were yesterday watched in Court and they were admitted as evidence.
In the first video, some PF supporters were seen in blood stains on the Nomination Day while Mr Siamunene as well as Southern Province Commissioner of Police Godwin Phiri condemned the attackers.
The second video, which was also aired on ZNBC TV 1 and TV2, shows UPND cadres flashing their party symbols of stretched palms on the Voting Day in the area.
In the third video, which was filmed after Mr Sialubalo was declared MP for Sinazongwe Constituency and also aired on same stations, a number of people complained that the elections were bad compared to previous years.
After cross examination, Mr Justice Zulu adjourned the matter to today (October 13, 2016) at 09:00 hours for the opening of defense after all petitioner’s witnesses made their submissions to the Court.
Mr Cheelo said there would be six witnesses including Mr Sialubalo during defense in the matter.
PF, Edgar, Daily Nation, Daily Mail ZNBC ZANIS….all these now share the crownbof propaganda. These people think they’ll never die someday. Instead of fostering good leadership look what they are doing. Planting the seed of hate. You wonder why some people celebrated when Sata died and why some mourned him.
This won’t be different if Lungu dies…. some will mourn him, some will celebrate & even be relieved. The seed of hate has been sown
Richwell and the ZANIS crew, Kulota sitilesa manje kalotedwe ndiye kamene kamacita ova. In all honest Siamunene and you know it very well could you have won standing against UPND in their own bedroom (stronghold)? Even if you an election was to called today for as long as you stand against UPND in their strongest stronghold forget. Its like a UPND MP petitioning the PF’s MP over the election results in Muchinga or Luapula, do you think that MP can win against PF in these 2 provinces? Richwell Siamunene, Grayford Monde, Dawson Kafwaya, Jonas Shakafuswa etc just swallow your pride and accept to swallow the bitter pill because you thought you are bigger than the party but thank God that you have been barred from Parliament buildings at least for the next 5 years
REGIONALISTS WILL ALWAYS BE REGIONALISTS.
UPND IS A TRIBALIST PARTY.
HH WAS CHOSEN TO LEAD UPND ONLY BECAUSE HE WAS TONGA.
THAT WAS THE SADDEST MOMENT IN THE HISTORY OF ZAMBIA.
WORSE NEWS FOR REGIONALISTS IS THAT IN 2021 HH AGAIN WILL LOSE.
SO GNASHING OF TEETH WILL CONTINUE FOR REGIONALISTS
The truth has a funny way of coming out. In this day and age of social media you have to be a buffoon to try and cheat the people with cheap propaganda like the pf are trying to do . Their days are numbered. Some will just start dying one by one
IF THE COURTS WOULD BE FREE AND FARE IN DEALINGS OF THE PETTITIONS THEN I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THEM SHOW HOW KAMBWILI AND HIS MEDIA PLAYED THE GAME ON BAARING THE OPPOSITION. THIS IS ANOTHER FROUD ON THE PF VS UPND. UPND CANDIDATES WHERE NEVER GIVEN COVERAGE ON THE ZNBC, TIMES OF ZAMBIA, DAILY MAIL ETC. PF HAS USED ALL ITS PLAN TO SILENCE THE UPND BUT STILL UPND EVEN WITH NO COVERAGE WON THE STOEN ELECTIONS.
Why did Siamunene even waste his time and money petitioning when he’s fully aware that he betrayed his people and his party? Some people have got so much money to waste!
HH WAS CHOSEN TO LEAD UPND ONLY BECAUSE HE WAS TONGA.
THAT WAS THE SADDEST MOMENT IN THE POLITICAL HISTORY OF ZAMBIA.
WORSE NEWS FOR REGIONALISTS IS THAT IN 2021 HH AGAIN WILL LOSE.
SO GNASHING OF TEETH WILL CONTINUE FOR REGIONALISTS
Sata was chosen to lead OF only because he was Bemba
NO NEED TO WISH ANYONE DEATH. FOR SIAMUNENE, WELCOME TO THE DEAD END MR. FORMER MINISTER
How can someone from Zanis be a witness…there is no grey areas with these empty tins.
IF INDEED HE WAS AT THE SCENE, HIS CAMERA WOULD HAVE ZOOMED IN TO SHOW UPND THROWING OR ATTACKING PF EVEN IF THEY WERE NOT ALLOWED TO GO OR CROSS CERTAIN POINTS. WASH-OUT I SAY.
Clearly there was mayhem on voting day attributed to upnd. Siamunene has won the case, no doubt about that.
BY CHEATING OFCOURSE. PEOPLE THINK PF IS THE PASSPORT OF ZAMBIA BY CROOKS.
He just proved to the Zambian voters that hoverment fun TV stations we’re biased. And he LOST.
HH and GBM Habwalya won the August 11 elections
The guy is only protecting his life. This is a danger zone where green can cost your dear life.
Bo Siamunene am PF but i don’t think you were going to win in Sinazongwe
The truth is there was intimidation and violence in sinazongwe perpetrated by the mapatizya formula mafias
its funny his camera refused to cheat. so couldnt show people who are attacking hahaha moden cameras.
It is true sinazongwe is UPND strong hold but do we have to beat and kill? How many Tongas and UPND supporters were beaten in Northern and Luapula?
Smith, the difference is that Tongas who are based in Luapula and Muchinga don’t boast about anything. They have blended with the people there and speak the language found there. However, the opposite is true for Bembas who live in Southern and other parts of the country. These people insist on using their language while talking to locals. They have refused to learn any other local language apart from their own and are fond of passing unpalatable commentsagainst people who are hosting them.
Tongas have so red from south to north, building farms and cultivating land growing maize in northern and Laupula provinces, where only cassava and millet we’re the major staple good. Bembas have not gone south, now who us regionallist and triballist?
Sata brought hate and division and Zambians embraced it. This is to stay with you as long as you a?low it. Joy are going to kill one another over tribe just the Hutu and Tutsis in Rwanda
Comment:Mr siamunene you did your part and now it is over just think of something different.Sialubalu is more populor here in zambia than this fomer minister.