Friday, March 29, 2024

DPP issues consent to prosecute Nakacinda for defaming President Hakainde Hichilema

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The Director of Public Prosecutions has issued instructions to have Patriotic Front Member of the Central Committee Raphael Nakacinda prosecuted in a case he is accused of defaming President Hakainde Hichilema and expressing hate and ridicule against another tribe.

Last year in April, police in Solwezi arrested Nakacinda, 43, and charged him with two offences of defamation and expressing or showing hatred, ridicule or contempt. This was after a member of the public, Bruce Kanema, filed a complaint against him alleging that he defamed President Hichilema in a video widely circulated on social media.

When the case came up today, the court heard that instructions to have the accused tried are ready. But the accused could not take plea because his lawyer was not available. The accused is scheduled to take plea on March 6, 2023 before Lusaka Magistrate Idah Phiri.

Meanwhile, Economic and Equity party president Chilufya Tayali has pleaded not guilty to inciting to mutiny Contrary to Section 48 subsection (a) of the Penal Code and communication of certain information Contrary to Section 4 (3) of the State Security Act Chapter 111 of the Laws of Zambia. It is alleged that between March, 2022 and April 2, 2022, using social media, did seduce persons serving in the Defence Force and Zambia Police Service from their duty of Allegiance to the Republican President.

Meanwhile, Patriotic Front MCC chairperson in charge of information and publicity Hon. Raphael Nakacinda has charged that the UPND government has been choked through the micromanagement of issues by President Hakainde Hichilema.

“If you can have six ministers parading to try to defend and sanitize the policy inconsistency in this government. It only signals that we are headed for a disaster, because most of the things being said and undertaken are being micromanaged from Community house hence a lot of disastrous statements contradicting what the President, Ministers, PS and some of the surrogates say,” he said.

Mr. Nakacinda said the UPND government was relishing a lot of fear and paranoia against the patriotic front by dragging the former head of state President Lungu into their political rhetoric.

“You have heard what Imenda is saying, he has continued to circulate political rhetorics against the former head of state, that’s their project and we won’t tolerate that,” he added.

He was speaking to journalists at the Lusaka Magistrate Court building where he and other PF senior party officials went to show solidarity to former PF Kwacha MP Hon. Joseph Malanji who was appearing before court.

The case against Nakacinda is expected to proceed on March 6, 2023, and the outcome will be closely watched as it has implications for free speech and the ability of politicians to express their views without fear of prosecution.

16 COMMENTS

  1. Zesco is increasing tariffs, fuel and food prices are beyond our reach, house break-ins are the order of the day. But we find time to waste on such nonsense. Let the one who was insulted sue Nakachinda and let him pay the lawyers instead of using state machinery and resources.

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    • I thought that after HH threw the defamation law out the window and claimed it as one of his achievements, the country’s Police would not be prosecuting citizens for defamation? Isnt that supposed to be for the defamed individual to take up on his own? Why is the DPP doing something illegal?

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  2. Hahah the f00I promised you that he would get rid of president defamation law. Yet here we know he directed the dpp to prosecute. Hh is a natural born liar. The biggest f00l in southern Africa. Fark off!!

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  3. When are we going to start work and move on.We are tired of these issues let us work on dollar kwacha depriciation and the rising economical hardship being faced by alot of zambians.Remember the song of PK Chishala, ”common man”.Were are we headed please.I can see if this continues we heading to disastrious days. wait and see things are not ok,mealie meal,fuels,electricity just to mention a few are all increasing like no bodys business mmmm hhaahaha tooo bad for zambia.

  4. When are we going to start work and move on.We are tired of these issues let us work on dollar kwacha depriciation and the rising economical hardship being faced by alot of zambians.Remember the song of PK Chishala, ”common man”.Were are we headed please.I can see if this continues we heading to disastrious days. wait and see things are not ok,mealie meal,fuels,electricity just to mention a few are all increasing like no bodys bussiness mmmm hhaahaha tooo bad for zambia.

  5. Very interesting, the President was patting himself on the back, “we have changed the law, despite people telling us not to do it, we said no, this is democracy and now everyone is free to speak against us, it doesn’t bother us”.
    Same President, spends 45 minutes on phone with Kambwili discussing how hurt he was when youths sang a song calling him a cattle businessman.
    And now this? Is this to justify his earlier arrest?
    About Tayali, him saying soldiers haven’t been paid and also him possessing a letter to that effect marked secret is not sedition.

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  6. Criticism and defamation are two different things.
    Some people prefer to defame a person as opposed to criticizing.
    In that case you have to face the law.

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  7. PF cadres want Zambians to live in a lawless nation. Why not Brian Mundubile, Wynter Kabimba, Andyford Banda or Chishala Kateka of New Heritage party. All these have not uttered hate speech, peddled falsehood against and maligned individuals in the country. Hate speech and falsehood against individuals is an offence in Zambian laws and those involved have to face the law. The outcome of such cases against Nakachinda or Chilufya Tayali has nothing to do with freedom of speech, infact will reinforce resposinsibility in our public discourse.

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  8. Defaming the President is like getting closer to the secret activities of the President. It is a colonial inherited law. But African Presidents would easily get rid of it. Because they know they can be exposed. Pablo Escobar HH is not an exceptional.

  9. Where is the President of ADEDE ZAMUCANO. Mr. Chikonde was YouTubed and rushed to hospital for defaming the then President under PF. Such tortures deserves persecution

  10. The ONLY good and biggest lesson for our brothers and sisters who put such high premium on a tribe is that we do not need a TRIBE to develop a nation, what we need is a Zambian as head of state who has the ability to govern and deliver according to their political party’s manifesto. In any given tribe there are different people with good governace or leadership abilities and also bad leaders or incompetent leaders. So the assumption that a tribe has leadership qualities is not only retrogressive but also embarrasing for any tribe worth anything. The voting patterns in certain provinces drive the narrative of the TRIBE, let us continue to call a “spade” a “spade”

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