The Lusaka High Court last night granted an injunction to MMD National Secretary Muhabi Lungu and Deputy National Secretary Chembe Nyangu restraining party President Nevers Mumba from expelling them.

Lusaka High Court Judge In-charge Isaac Chali has also restrained the newly appointed National Secretary Mwansa Mbulakulima and his deputy Winnie Zaloumis from performing their duties until the matter is heard inter-parte this morning.

The injunction also restrains the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) from receiving nomination papers from MMD President Nevers Mumba until the party’s National Executive Committee ratifies the candidature.

And MMD National Secretary Muhabi Lungu has written to the ECZ to have the MMD file the nomination on Tuesday after the NEC meeting to be held on Monday.

Yesterday, Mr Nyangu has described Dr Mumba’s action as illegal because the party president has no power to expel anyone from the party and that only the national executive committee (NEC) has the capacity to do so.

Reacting to the expulsion, Mr Nyangu accused Dr Mumba of destroying the MMD and treating it like a ‘Kantemba’.

If Dr Mumba wanted to make money using the MMD, Mr Nynangu said he should just go ahead without victimising others.

He said the MMD was a democratic party but was being destroyed by Dr Mumba who was treating the party as his own.

The MMD NEC had discovered that Dr Mumba was not sellable and would lose the forthcoming presidential election, hence the move to bring in Mr Banda.

Mr Nyangu said the MMD was run constitutionally. Political parties should be allowed to choose leaders and courts should not be allowed to impose leaders on political parties.

“Dr Mumba will not get support from any one. If you impose a leader, Nevers Mumba will be the last in this coming election. We are all moving away and will leave the MMD for him,” he said.

POLICE in Lusaka have arrested Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) chief executive officer Zindaba Soko for assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Mr Soko, 38, of Libala house number. 153/45/m was arrested and is jointly charged with Samuel Soko, 30, of flat number 18, Sesheke Road in Emmasdale Township.

Deputy police public relations officer Rae Hamoonga said the duo, whilst acting together on December 13, 2014 at about 17:00 hours allegedly assaulted Mr Petro Phiri of house number 32, Mwembeshi Road, at Care for Business Hospital in Lusaka.

Mr Petro Phiri is an employee of a named funeral Palour.

Both accused persons have since been released on police bond and will appear in court on Tuesday, December 23, 2014.

Meanwhile, police in Lusaka have gunned down John Mulenga, 35, a dangerous criminal of Kuku Township.

Mulenga was intercepted and arrested on his way to stage a robbery at a named filling station around 03:00 hours yesterday. He was found with a bag containing an AK-47 rifle serial number 56-17168154 with two rounds of ammunition.

After being interrogated, Mulenga led the officers to a house where his other colleagues were and upon reaching the house, one of the occupants sensing police presence opened fire at the police officers and an exchange of fire ensued between the police and the criminals.

In the process, Mulenga attempted to escape and was gunned down after refusing to heed to several warning shots.

Mulenga is believed to be behind a spate of robberies, one of which he and his colleague attacked an officer at Ridgeway police post and got away with the firearm which was recovered in yesterday’s shooting.

In a related development, police have recovered a Mercedes Benz car after its occupants were attacked and abducted from a house in Northmead residential area around 02:00 hours and later dumped in Mikango Barracks area.

It is believed that Mulenga and his colleagues were also behind that carjack. The motor vehicle was later found by police in Palabana area after it was abandoned by the criminals when it ran out of fuel as police were pursuing them.

Police have, meanwhile, concluded investigations involving cadres of the Green Party who had questionable national registration cards during the filling of presidential nominations at Supreme Court on Wednesday.

“Our findings are that out of the six apprehended persons, five are the actual owners of the national registration cards. The controversy arose due to the fact that their facial appearances and the photos on their national registration cards had appeared to be different due to the lapse of time from when they acquired them,” Mr Hamoonga said.

It was only Loveness Tembo, 28, of Kanyama Township who was found with her elder sister’s national registration card and has since been charged with impersonation and will appear in court soon.

MINISTER of Labour and Social Security Fackson Shamenda has urged trade unions to ignore the recently amended retirement age at 65 years saying no agreement had been reached with the labour movement.

“The SI [statutory instrument] was wrongly signed, we have not agreed with the unions on retirement at 65 years anywhere,” Mr Shamenda said.

Opening the 14th Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) quadrennial congress yesterday, Mr Shamenda, however, said an informal meeting held with the labour movement agreed to an early retirement at 55, actual retirement at 60 and late retirement at 65 years.

He said the 65-year retirement age applies only to people contributing their benefits to the Public Service Pensions Fund (PSPF) and not those contributing to the National Pension Scheme Authority (NAPSA) and the Local Authorities Superannuation Fund LASF) as Government is still negotiating with the two pension houses.

Mr Shamenda also warned Hotel Intercontinental, which fired its striking workers, to reinstate them immediately failure to which Government will use its political muscle to intervene.

“While workers participate in the governance system of this country by ensuring that democracy takes root in society, those in power should not take workers for granted and begin to introduce measures that will hurt the workers.

Trade union leaders should always be alert and keep those with authority in check and fight for respect, dignity and general welfare of the workers,” he said.

Earlier, outgoing ZCTU president Leonard Hikaumba said the trade union movement is facing serious challenges in terms of human and workers’ rights violations and abuses by employers.

“Workers have paid a heavy price for their firm stand against all forms of violations and abuse from employers, be it in private or public sectors.

“While company owners and other bosses accumulate so much wealth, the workers who create it face a daily battle to keep their jobs and put food on the family table,” he said.

Mr Hikaumba also said that workers want a peaceful presidential election on January 20 next year

THE Zambia Police Service says it provided security for Patriotic Front (PF) president Edgar Lungu during his recent campaign trip to Mongu because there were reports of threats on his life.

The police has also said that it will continue to be impartial in the enforcement of the law as its mandate is to provide security to anyone.

Police deputy public relations officer Rae Hamoonga said the police service is mandated by law to protect or provide security to any person whose life is in danger or threatened regardless of his status in society.

Mr Hamoonga dismissed media claims that Inspector General of Police Stella Libongani was instructed by Mr Lungu to provide security when he travelled to Mongu.

He said police had received reports threatening the life of Mr Lungu and that it was in order for the law enforcement agency to provide such security.

“It was therefore found necessary after having received reports of threats to the life of Honourable Edgar Lungu for the police to deploy officers on temporary basis to check on the alleged threats,” Mr Hamoonga Said.

He said the officers who provide security for Mr Lungu where normally deployed and not from State House as alleged.