Justice Minister Wynter Kabimba has said calls for Malawian Judge Lovemore Chikopa to go back to his country are misplaced and unjustified.

Mr Kabimba said those criticising Judge Chikopa’s engagement to head the tribunal to probe the conduct of three suspended judges, did not mean well for the country but portrayed cheap politicking on issues of national interest.

Mr Kabimba was reacting to Heritage Party leader, Godfrey Miyanda who said that Judge Chikopa should go back to Malawi and that his stay in the country was a cost to government.

“When the tribunal was not sitting, General Miyanda was among those that called for his return to Malawi and now that the tribunal has been given a go-ahead, he is still calling for the same thing. What does he want? It does not make sense at all,” Mr Kabimba said.

Last year, President Michael Sata suspended Supreme Court Judge Phillip Musonda, and two High Court judges, Nigel Mutuna and Charles Kajimanga over their conduct in a civil case involving, the Development Bank of Zambia as complainant, and The Post Newspapers Limited, Mutembo Nchito and JNC Holdings Limited as defendants.

The tribunal comprised, Judge Chikopa, as chairperson, and members Justices Thomas Ndhlovu and Naboth Mwanza, as well as Chipili Katunasa as secretary.

On Friday, Mr Malila when asked, whether or not the Executive would heed to the advise by the Supreme Court bench of seven headed by acting Chief Justice Lombe Chibesakunda, not to proceed with the tribunal to probe alleged professional misconduct of the trio, he said the State would proceed with the tribunal as it was on firm ground to do so.

Mr Malila said the advice by the Supreme Court Judges in their ruling on Thursday was a mere recommendation which the Executive was free to heed to or to the contrary.

He said the majority judgment that was passed on Thursday was clear to the effect that President Michael Sata was within his powers to suspend the judges and subsequently appoint a tribunal to probe them.

Judges Musonda, Mutuna and Kajimanga had in May 2013 sought a judicial review in respect of the decision made by President Sata on April 30, 2012, to appoint a tribunal to investigate them.

Ms Justice Chisanga had stayed the proceedings after Solicitor General Musa Mwenye on May 17, 2012 filed an application asking the court to set aside an ex-parte order granted to suspended judges on May 16, 2012 for leave to apply for judicial review.

But Mr Malila was dissatisfied about Ms Justice Chisanga’s ruling and appealed against the whole ruling delivered on May 24, 2012.

The Labour and Social Security Minister, Fackson Shamenda who is also Ndola Central Member of Parliament says the Patriotic Front government is an inclusive government which wants to have ministers from all corners of the country.

Speaking when he addressed heads of government departments at Council chamber in Itezhi tezhi district yesterday, Mr Shamenda said there is nothing wrong for people from other parties scramble for government positions.

“There has been a lot of criticisms that we are causing by-elections by poaching opposition members of parliament. That is not true. The appointments are meant to ensure PF government has ministers from all corners of this country,” Mr Shamenda said.

He said that the party has a lot of Legislators whom it can appoint in various government positions but they are looking at inclusiveness.

“There so many good and hard working ministers like Dr Patrick Chikusu who is not being harassed by his party and he has continued working for the people of Zambia,” Mr Shamenda said.

He also said that his party cannot stop opposition members of parliament who want to join PF because they have a right to belong to any party.

Mr Shamenda also defended the appointment of more deputy ministers by his government saying that without them work would be very difficult for cabinet ministers.

“We need deputy ministers because those people help us a lot. We cannot be everywhere every time and deputy ministers help take government presence when cabinet ministers are not able to reach certain places where government presence is required,” he said.

And Acting Senior Agriculture officer, Petronela Lubasi said that government has not been confirming people who have been acting for a long time.

Ms Lubasi said that many people have upgraded their qualifications but have not been elevated or confirmed and have been acting perpetually.

But Mr Shamenda said that government is working out modalities to address those issues adding that public services will now be an enviable place to work in due to continuous PF government’s policy to improve conditions of civil servants.

He said that the government from September will be paying their lowest worker K3,200 and challenged private institutions to match up with the government standard on paying their workers.

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Another By-Elections looms Mkushi North where MMD Member of Parliament, Mutale Musonda anounced his resignation to join the ruling Patriotic Front (PF)

Speaking shortly after his defection today, Mr Musonda said he has decided to defect to the ruling PF because MMD is a dead party.

Mr Musonda said no matter how good a person is it is impossible to score in a losing team.

He said he wants to work with the PF government because it has shown commitment in as far as the development of this country is concerned.

And welcoming the defectors, Central Province Minister, Philip Kosamu said the continuous defections by members of the opposition are not being engineered by the PF government.

Mr Kosamu said the defections are as a result of poor leadership by the opposition leaders and good leadership in the party in government.

He said people should not be deceived by malicious people like Father Frank Bwalya whose main aim is to frustrate the efforts of government by spreading lies to Zambians.

He said the PF government has only been in power for 20 months and, already, has scored a lot of successes in as far as development is concerned.

Mr Kosamu cited improvements in the Fertilizer Support Programme (FSP) and that more efforts are being made to ensure that every farmer gets his package before the farming season.

And the Deputy Minister of Health, Christopher Mulenga, has distanced the ruling PF from inciting defections saying PF has nothing to do with the on-going defections in the country.

Mr Mulenga said government is aware that people, including the opposition are complaining over the continued defections by the opposition MPs but that there is nothing it can do to curb this.

He said this is because Zambia is a democratic state and as such, the PF government although in power cannot hinder people from joining political parties of their choice.

He said the tenets of democracy are very clear as everyone is at liberty to belong to any political party that makes sense to them.

Mr Musonda also wondered why it is always an issue for people when a defection is in the favour of the ruling PF.

He said it is high time people appreciated the good policies of PF rather than implicating them in the defections.

He further advised other MPs who are still in the opposition to consider joining the PF in order to ensure development in the country.

Mr Musonda said the opposition has nothing much to offer the Zambians because most of the opposition leaders have worked in previous governments before but still failed to deliver development to Zambians.

About 300 PF members including Kapiri-Mposhi MP, Eddie Musonda, Bwacha MP, Sydney Mushanga and Kabwe Central MP, James Kapyanga witnessed the defections.

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