Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Keeping Afumba Mombotwa in prison after a Presidential pardon is torture of the worst kind

Share

By Media Editor, Barotseland Post

National Democratic Congress (NDC) leader, Chishimba Kambwili, has charged that the incoherence of statements over the pardoning of prisoners on the presidents birthday is proof that there is a chipante pante govt in place.

“It’s unfortunate that the other prisoner (Afumba Mombotwa) who has been left is being tortured because when you are informed that you are going to be pardoned by the President and later on you hear a minister say that ‘you have not been pardoned’, its torture of the worst kind, ” Chishimba Kambwili said.

On Monday, State House Press Aide Isaac Chipampe announced in a statement that the President had pardoned 5 prisoners from various correctional facilities to mark his 63rd birthday.

“To mark His 63rd Birthday which falls today, His Excellency Dr Edgar Chagwa Lungu has pardoned five inmates from various correctional facilities. The President has pardoned Chief Mulongwe, Former Minister in the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) Government Maxwell Mwale, Journalist Derrick Sinjela, Afumba Mombofwa, and former Zambia Airforce Commander Christopher Singogo. The President’s action is in line with Article 97 of the Constitution of Zambia Chapter (l) of the Laws of Zambia which provides for Presidential Pardon and Substitution of Severe Punishments imposed on the convicted,” the statement read.

But later the same day, Home Affairs Minister Stephen Kampyongo during a press briefing announced only 4 names leaving out Mombofwa, and when asked, the minister said his statement superseded the earlier statement issued by State House.

“The list I have given is the final official list and I am sure you are aware, over the years you have come here yourself as a senior journalist any pardons, are released in this manner just like I have done. That’s the official list that you should take. It’s signed by me here so if there was any other statement, maybe, it’s overtaken by this one that I have released,” said Kampyongo.

And in an interview, Kambwili noted that there was no consultation over the matter as a minister’s statement can never supersede that of the President.

“It is a sign of an uncoordinated government and if a government is uncoordinated it simply means they have failed to govern. I mean, its confusion of the worst kind that state house which is the Presidency, announces that we have pardoned 5 prisoners and the Minister of Home Affairs says ‘no we have only pardoned 4 and my statement supersedes the statement from state house’. Sure how can a ministers statement supersede the State House [statement] which is the Presidency because the minister operates under the President? This means there was no consultation and what kind of a government is this government which doesn’t consult. I have said and I want to say it again, this government is chipante pante government,” he charged.

“And you see, God the way he operates, he will not come and tell you that these people have failed, he will just bring calamity, mistakes that people must see that this government is tired and God is no longer interested in them and that the favour of God has moved away from them. This is what is happening, in my language they say Lesa nga alefwaya uku fumya umuntu pa chifulo, ala mu lowa ichilafi pa kutila fyonse ifyo alechita fibe ifya lubana (when God wants to remove someone from a position, He strikes him with forgetfulness to make mistakes). You can see that the person does not know what they are doing. This is what is happening.”

Kambwili, however, sympathized with the prisoner who has been left behind describing the act as a torture of the worst kind.

“It’s unfortunate that the other prisoner who has been left is being tortured because when you are informed that you are going to be pardoned by the President and later on you hear a minister say that ‘you have not been pardoned’, its torture of the worst kind. So we must think of others, do unto others what you want them to do unto you. So it’s quite unfortunate that we have a situation like this in our country coming from the government,” said Kambwili.

12 COMMENTS

  1. JOB VACANCIES at CRH Global.

    The Employment office of CRH GROUP OF COMPANIES Al Ahmadi Kuwaiti and Manitoba Canada offices has approved the employment of qualified interested applicants into the following vacant positions
    available to enhance quality service delivery.
    Qualified Medical Doctors , Service Technicians, Facility Maintenance, Mechanical
    Engineers, Electrical Engineer, Heavy Duty Truck Drivers, Chefs, Project
    supervisors, Technical Design Engineers, Welding and supervisors,
    Construction engineer, sales Marketers,Human Resources, Administrative
    executives, Geology project managers, Accountants, Environmental Experts, Office assistants,
    Civil Engineers, Plant Start-up, Machine
    Operators, Construction and Installation experts ETC.

    EMPLOYMENT ENTITLEMENTS AND…

    • When the Economy becomes desperate, crooks also become desperate to cash in on unsuspecting desperate people whose major goal in life is job job job to earn slave wages instead of standing on their own two feet.
      Beware of people trafficking!
      Stay home and build your home!
      Kwanu ni kwanu!

    • What is wrong with Ba Edgar to allow Kampyongo and other cheap ministers to continue him?
      I mean why not swap Kampyongo with Motombwa? Because Kampyongo continues to throw away Presidential orders. It’s Kampyongo who is commiting treason.

    • Now, when we continue pointing out this issues, some people call us names and label us all sorts of things. Hasnt this been the defining feature of PF? Incoherent, confused…..
      How can a minister overule a statement issued under the name of the president? Shouldnt such a man be fired? Doesnt this add weight to the allegations of state capture? It seems some people are untouchable because perhaps they have dirt on ECL?

  2. The question is does Kampyongo have power to reverse a presidential pardon?More unnecessary crimes that they will be answering to.A clear case of abuse of office…

  3. Kaongolo ka Nyambe cwale ka iponele, Lungu uka lemalezi! How could mere minister reverse a presidential pardon? Bo seli feela bukuba bwa mubuso wa mandwani!

  4. When given an opportunity Chishimba Kambwili failed to name the Heroes Stadium, he gave us a paragraph of events in Gabon and said that was the name. Now he wants to look clever. We know that PF is full of buffoons. The PF are known not to consult when they do everything. The case of Afumba Mombotwa is one such issue, Edgar should’ve consulted other stakeholders. Even the VOA reported about Afumba’s release but we learnt about the decision to rescind his pardon from other media houses that aren’t even credible. Can somebody explain and tell us if indeed somebody interfered with this case

  5. Akafumba is a criminal who does not deserve any presidential pardon. He is non repentant. He is the one who continues to agitate for this Barotse nonsense

  6. Please consult legal minds before disgracing yourselves when constitutional issues crop up.While the law is silent on the scope of the prerogative power of mercy,a convicted person can also be detained at the President’s pleasure.

Comments are closed.

Read more

Local News

Discover more from Lusaka Times-Zambia's Leading Online News Site - LusakaTimes.com

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading