Harrington Considers Legal Action Over Mwila’s Racial Remarks on Lubinda
LUSAKA — Former Tourism Minister William Harrington has begun consulting legal counsel on the possibility of filing a criminal complaint against former Patriotic Front secretary general Davies Mwila over televised remarks questioning acting PF president Given Lubinda’s eligibility for office on racial grounds. The comments made by Mwila, broadcast nationally and widely circulated online, have drawn swift condemnation from political, religious, and civic leaders across Zambia.
Harrington described Mwila’s statements as “hateful, offensive, and incompatible with constitutional principles on citizenship.” He emphasized that the 2016 constitutional amendments explicitly removed the parentage clause, affirming that any Zambian citizen holding a green national registration card is eligible to run for president, irrespective of race or ancestry. “To suggest otherwise is to deny the letter and spirit of our Constitution,” Harrington said about Mwila.
His move signals a potential escalation from public censure to formal legal accountability. Harrington said his legal team is assessing whether Mwila’s comments constitute hate speech under existing statutes, including provisions in the Penal Code that prohibit the promotion of discrimination or hatred based on identity.
The remarks surfaced amid intensifying leadership struggles within the Patriotic Front, which has seen multiple figures declare interest in the party presidency. Analysts note that while internal rivalries have produced sharp exchanges, Mwila’s racial framing marked a significant departure from accepted political discourse. “Political competition does not justify rhetoric that undermines the foundational principle of equal citizenship,” Harrington said.
Public reaction was immediate and unified. Editorials, church leaders, civil society organisations, and opposition figures issued statements condemning the comments as dangerous to national unity. Media outlets described the remarks as “reprehensible” and “a betrayal of Zambia’s anti racial legacy.” Commentators recalled that Zambia’s independence movement explicitly rejected racial hierarchy, and that post independence governance has sought to uphold an inclusive national identity.
Harrington stressed that his potential complaint is not motivated by partisan interests but by a duty to protect constitutional values. “The aim is not personal retaliation but to reinforce that public influence carries responsibility,” he said. He warned that failing to challenge such rhetoric could embolden others to use divisive language in future electoral contests.
Zambia’s legal framework includes provisions against hate speech and discriminatory incitement. Harrington argued these laws are not symbolic but serve to safeguard public dignity and social cohesion. If a case proceeds, legal observers say it could clarify the boundaries of lawful political speech and test the judiciary’s willingness to enforce anti discrimination statutes.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions has not confirmed whether it has received a formal complaint. Mwila has not issued a public apology or retraction as of December 8, 2025.
Harrington said the episode underscores a broader imperative: that constitutional equality must be defended not only in law but in public conduct. “Zambia cannot afford to normalise language that divides citizens along racial lines,” he said. “The response to this incident will set a precedent for how we handle similar threats to our democratic values.”
Mwila is behaving very strangely. I saw the interview on TV, the man viciously, brutally and badly attacked his colleagues Given Lubinda, Jean Kapata, Miles Sampa and others in PF publicly BUT strangely at the end of the interview he calls for unity within the party, very coordinated and unreconciled within himself.
You have the UPND President HH who has proved to be a flat battery who has failed lamentably in his duties, that is the man to target, and not yourselves. Look at how he has brought the economy to his knees, don’t even listen to compromised economists trying to redeem him. The man has failed, period.
Mwila has fixed himself. Next please…
I don’t think I know enough about Given Lubinda . I don’t know his background. I did not know that his father was from Scotland until Mwila mentioned it. In fact, I have always thought that he had some Asian blood in him. I was even thinking that had he been in uganda when Idi Amin was chasing mainly the Indians (Asians), he would have gone with them. Now that I know a bit about him, I have developed a special liking for him. I had a great time in Scotland where his father came from, and people are very welcoming. They will greet you in the streets, and there is hardly any racism.
Why Harrington instead of Lubinda himself??
This is a perfect move by Hon William Harington. Davies does not own Zambia to be issuing such remarks against Given Lubinda which he did not issue against a pure white Guy Scott