A non-governmental organisation called Zambian Voice has challenged the ruling PF to clearly state the nature of the offences that Kabwata MP Given Lubinda has been found guilty of.

Zambian Voice Executive Director Chilufya Tayali made the call in a news statement adding that the PF should come out in the open and state exactly what wrong Mr. Lubinda has committed.

“We understand the PF Central Committee is meeting this Wednesday, our appeal is that the men and women in the Central Committee will seek to protect democracy and avoid an unnecessary bye election,” Mr. Tayali said.

He said, “One of the allegations against Mr. Lubinda is that he leaked confidential party information to some media house. Since the said leaked articles were probably published, the nation is obviously anxious to know which articles in particular contained confidential information that Mr. Lubinda caused to be published by having them leaked to the media.”

Mr. Tayali challenged the PF to release this information as it starts its Wednesday meeting if the party believes in natural justice.

“As an organisation, we find it obnoxious and unfair that the Central Committee, a team of 52 men and women could decide the fate of a man who received 29,744 votes, representing 74% of the total votes cast less than two years ago without giving an opportunity to the thousands that voted for him in the 2011 elections to understand what offence their MP committed against the party.”

He added, “The PF should not take the people of Kabwata for granted. If Mr. Lubinda indeed erred, we believe the PF should come out clean and state exactly what wrong he did so that the people of Kabwata in particular and Zambians in general can also form their own opinion about the man they overwhelmingly voted for in three consecutive elections.”

“Without taking away from the PF’s right to discipline its erring members, we believe the case of Mr. Lubinda and his impending expulsion goes beyond the party’s narrow interests but speaks to the core of how political parties in Zambia administer their internal politics,” Mr. Tayali said.

The Zambian Voice Executive Director said his organisation believes that Mr. Lubinda is a victim of international petty jealousy in a raging succession battle.

He said, “The PF Central Committee has a moral duty to save Zambia, the PF Central Committee has a sacred duty to defend democracy and the PF Central Committee has an obligation to protect natural justice.”

The PF Central Committee, the party’s highest decision making organ is this Wednesday scheduled to have an all-important meeting which is expected to seal the fate of Mr. Lubinda and other party officials facing disciplinary charges.

United Party for National Development (UPND) President Hakainde Hichilema today failed to take plea in a defamation case against President Michael Sata as defence lawyers asked the state to have the matter adjourned.

Particulars allege that Hichilema, on January 13 this year, with intent to bring the President into hatred, ridicule and contempt, did publish a defamatory statement which was covered in the Daily Nation of January 14 this year.

Defence lawyer Sakwiba Sikota told the court that the defence team needed more time to study the case and take further instructions from the their client over the matter.

In his application Mr. Sikota asked the court to adjourn the matter as the charges levelled against his client at the court and those he was charged with when he was arrested at woodlands police station were different.

“Your honour, we have just been given the new indictment by the State a few minutes ago and we only have instructions based on the earlier indictment when he appeared in another court, we noted that it is different from the one he was arrested for,” he said.

“It is for the reason that we apply to have the matter adjourned to allow us obtain new instructions and to study the new offence before our client takes plea,” Mr Sikota said.

Other defence lawyers include, Jack Mwiimbu, Martha Mushipe, Paul Katupisha and Dindi and Company.

And State prosecutor Simon Tembo said the indictment was the same except for minor changes but did not object to the application though emphasised that plea be taken as soon as possible because the matter had dragged.

This prompted Judge Boniface Mwiinga to adjourn the case in order to allow the defence team study the matter as requested.

In granting the application, magistrate Boniface Mwiinga said the accused should understand the charge he is facing before taking a fresh plea.

“I do hereby grant the application to the defence as prayed. This is to enable them direct their minds to the fresh charge and to also obtain new instructions from their client as well as studying the charge before taking plea,” he said.

The matter was adjourned to January 28 for plea.

Opposition Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) vice president for Political Affairs Michael Kaingu has said that the formation of a parallel party structure by expelled National Secretary Major Richard Kachingwe is a laughable matter.

Major Kachingwe yesterday announced the formulation of a parallel party structure aimed at removing party president Nevers Mumba from the party.

Mr. Kaingu has advised Major Kachingwe to just state that he has formed a separate political party instead of hiding in the name of MMD.

Speaking in an interview with QFM, Mr. Kaingu said that it is also a relief it Major Kachingwe has moved out of the party because the party will now operate smoothly without any interference.

He however stated that the party will not allow Major Kachingwe to use the name of the party.

QFM

Kalulushi Member of Parliament and Deputy Minister of Labour, Rayford Mbulu, suspects his former girlfriend is gifted with a spirit of insults.

Mr Mbulu, who yesterday appeared before Lusaka magistrate, Alice Walusiku, told the court that he wondered why Salome Mulenga brought herself back after she heard of his rise and recent achievements in the political arena soon after leaving the trade union leadership.

Mr Mbulo, who summoned Ms Mulenga for use of insulting language Contrary to Section 179 of the Penal Code Cap 87 of the Laws of Zambia.

Particulars of the offence are that on May 14, 2012, while in Lusaka, Ms Mulenga conducted herself in a manner likely to provoke Mr Mbulu as to cause him to breach the public peace.

Mr Mbulo in his testimony said he was surprised to note that Ms Mulenga, the former girlfriend, accused him of infecting her with HIV/AIDS despite having an intermittent relationship with her and further threatening his life.

He told the court that in 2009 he met Ms Mulenga in Siavonga when he went to carry out strategic planning for the Zambia Congress of Trade Unions.

He said the two had an intermittent relationship from 2009 to 2011.

[pullquote]Tempers flared during cross examination when Mr Sikota asked Mr Mbulu if for sure he was not HIV positive, adding that the same issue was discussed at Cabinet Office when Ms Mulenga reported the matter to the minister.[/pullquote]

Mr Mbulu said last year after the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), he lost his phone and during that period he decided to use his wife’s hand set.

He said during the time he used his wife’s phone and SIM card he received massages from Ms Mulenga threatening him.

Mr Mbulu further produced his wife’s Samsung phone as part of evidence where he printed out two text messages as evidence to the threats he received from Ms Mulenga.

“Tell your hubby to switch on his phone, I don’t want to follow him to his work place,” stated one of the text messages on March 11, 2012.

Another text massage read, “Tell your hubby that since he does not want to face me in a polite way, he will face me in a rough way and University Teaching Hospital is waiting for casualties” sent on January 24, 2012.

He further told the court that it was such threats that forced him to report the matter to the police.

Mr Mbulu explained that Ms Mulenga further forced her way into his office and started insulting him and kicking furniture.

Meanwhile, defence lawyer Sakwiba Sikota wondered why Mr Mbulu maintained that their relationship was intermittent when Ms Mulenga was pregnant and subsequently had two miscarriages as a result of the sexual relationship between them.

Mr Sikota wondered why Mr Mbulu produced a phone which was not his at the time of the incidents, adding that the appropriate person to produce such evidence should have been the wife if at all she complained anywhere.

In Response Mr Mbulu told the court that he produced the phone as evidence because at the time he was in custody of his wife’s phone because he lost his mobile phone.

Tempers flared during cross examination when Mr Sikota asked Mr Mbulu if for sure he was not HIV positive, adding that the same issue was discussed at Cabinet Office when Ms Mulenga reported the matter to the minister.

In cushioning the incident Public Prosecutor, Zacks Yume, that Mr Sikota withdraws the statement as that was surmount to interference into the plaintiffs private life.

However, Magistrate Walusiku adjourned the matter and instructed that the said mobile phone be temporary released for use by Mr Mbulu as he was scheduled to travel out of the country on national issues at 14:00 hours yesterday.

The matter has since adjourned to February 25, for continued cross examination.

ZANIS