Economic and Equity Party President, Chilufya Tayali has been granted bail after pleading not guilty to the defamation of the President.

Mr Tayali has been granted bail at K20,000 in his own recognizance and two working sureties from reputable organizations in the like sum to be paid in own recognizance.

Tayali who is being represented by former Director of Public Prosecutions Mutembo Nchito appeared in the Lusaka Magistrates Court before Magistrate Alice Walusiku yesterday.

The matter has been adjourned to June 23

Last week Police in Lusaka arrested Mr Tayali for the offence of Defamation of the President. This is in line with a video that went viral on social media in which the accused person made derogatory remarks against His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Zambia, Dr Edgar Lungu.

He was until yesterday detained in police custody for the subject offence.

This is the second defamation case that Mr Tayali is facing against presidents of two big political parties in Zambia.

Last month the Lusaka High Court pushed to 31st August 2021 the trial in a matter in which UPND President, Hakainde Hichilema sued Mr Tayali for defamation.

Justice Charles Zulu has also set 28th July 2021 for a status conference in the matter. In the order for directions dated 31st March 2021, the court has directed the plaintiff to file a reply on or before 21st April 2021.

In this matter, Mr. Hichilema sued Mr. Tayali in the Lusaka High Court demanding K100 million as costs for defaming him when he accused him of benefitting from the privatization of government assets.

It is alleged that on 15th November 2020 Mr. Tayali held a media briefing where he accused Mr Hichilema of corruptly benefiting from the privatization of government assets and that he deserved to be jailed.

In a statement of claim, Mr Hichilema said contrary to Mr. Tayali’s assertions, he has never been convicted of any criminal offence to warrant being jailed or to be barred from vying for public office as President of the Republic of Zambia
However, in his defence, Mr Tayali says the words he uttered were justified and were fair comment made in good faith and without malice.

Out-going Kasenengwa Member of Parliament Sensio Banda has expressed deep disappointment with the Patriotic Front (PF) party for not adopting him to recontest his seat.

Speaking in an interview with ZANIS today, Mr Banda said he was optimistic that the party was going to give him another opportunity to finish the developmental projects he had embarked on in the area.

He however mentioned that he was leaving his position a happy man as he has attained a lot of developmental projects from the time he was elected in 2018 through a by-election.

Mr Banda disclosed that about 16 roads in the constituency are currently being rehabilitated among them, the Msoro road and that 115 boreholes have been drilled in various parts of the constituency to enable people have access to clean and safe drinking water.

He said he will remain a loyal member of the party despite not being adopted adding that he will campaign for the adopted candidate and the party’s presidential candidate Edgar Lungu.

The PF has adopted Philemon Thwasa as the aspiring candidate for Kasenengwa constituency in the forthcoming August general elections.

The United Kingdom has pledged commitment to support the upcoming election process by working together with all Zambians in ensuring free, fair, credible and peaceful elections.

To prove this partnership, The British High Commissioner to Zambia, Nicholas Woolley has contributed K16 million to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to directly support the preparations and delivery of the elections.

“I am pleased to announce that the UK is contributing £500,000 (approximately 16 million kwacha) to the “Democracy Strengthening in Zambia” (DSZ) programme, as managed by the United Nations Development Programme,” Mr Woolley said.

“As close bilateral partners, friends within the Commonwealth, and fellow members of the Global Community of Democracies, the UK has been a strong supporter of Zambia’s democracy for decades. Our development and diplomacy activities have supported Zambia’s elections processes over many years, in line with the fundamental rights and freedoms that Zambia’s Constitution provides its citizens. And this year will be no different,” he added.

According to a press statement issued to ZANIS in Lusaka today, the British high commissioner appealed to all political parties to uphold Zambia’s long-standing reputation for democracy and peace.

“There is no place for violence. Disagreeing with someone’s political affiliation is not a reason to hound them from their office, to commit physical harm, to forcefully disrupt radio broadcasts, or to damage their livelihood and property. All of us have a responsibility to discourage and call out violence in the strongest possible terms,” he said.

Mr Woolley said Zambians should get ready to forge a new sense of unity after the elections to care for the most marginalized and vulnerable in society.

Meanwhile, UK High Commission’s Development Director and responsible for the UK’s aid programming in Zambia Steve Beel noted that the upcoming elections have the potential to be the closest and most actively contested since Zambia’s Independence.

Mr Beel said the UK and wider international community look to the electoral processes as a key indicator of the health of democracy and the basis for our engagements in country.

“A key expectation is that all individuals, across the civil service, the electoral institutions, the media, wider stakeholders and public at large, can play their roles in this crucial democratic process, and be ready to get behind whatever government emerges after the elections to drive forward Zambia’s future development,” he added.

And UK’s Head of Elections Programming in Zambia, Markus Weimer said UK’s wider work with the civil society is designed to ensure Zambian citizens have the widest means possible to engage in the electoral processes.

Through the UNDP’s multi donor elections fund, the international community supports the government of Zambia to strengthen democracy through functional and inclusive electoral processes which is provided through the UNDP’s three-year Democracy Strengthening in Zambia (DSZ) programme.

The DSZ builds on previous UNDP-led electoral cycle support to Zambia, addresses challenges and incorporates lessons learnt from previous electoral cycles. The UK has actively engaged in the programme’s development and management processes.

The DSZ project is aligned with Zambia’s Seventh (7th) National Development Plan (7NDP) 2017-2021 in which the government of Zambia pledges to promote transparency, accountability, citizen participation, and strengthen governance institutions.

The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has reiterated its stance to procure tactical folders or braille jackets for persons with vision disabilities for the August general elections.

ECZ Corporate Affairs Manager, Patricia Luhanga told ZANIS in an interview today, that the commission will ensure all electorates are able to exercise their right to vote in the coming general elections including persons with infirmities.

‘’The commission will provide braille for persons with disabilities so that no one is left behind in the electoral process of voting,’’ she explained.

She indicated that the electoral officers will only help the vision impaired people by telling them the names of the candidates as they appear on the ballot paper.