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Zambian opposition lawmaker drags Speaker to anti-graft agency

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An opposition member of the Zambian Parliament, Mutotwe Kafwaya has joined the fray in the unending crisis rocking the assembly by dragging the Speaker, Nelly Mutti, to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) over alleged abuse of authority.

In a letter to the Director-General of the ACC on Thursday, Kafwaya, who represents the Lunte constituency on the platform of the Patriotic Front (PF), alleged that the Speaker committed constitutional breaches and urged the agency to probe matters of abuse of authority and office by a public officer.

The MP said the move had become necessary following the emergence of a faction of the opposition party led by Miles Sampa who went ahead to make changes to the offices of leader of the opposition and whip, respectively.

Kafwaya alleged that on October 25, 2023 a letter was written by the PF informing Mutti that Sampa had been expelled from the party and that his seat should be declared vacant, but lamented that the Speaker ignored the letter and went ahead to install Sampa.

He further narrated how Sampa illegally appointed Morgan Ng’ona as Secretary-General of the former ruling party, leading Ng’ona to write a letter to the Speaker informing her of changes purportedly made to the office of the Leader of the Opposition and PF whip in Parliament.

Kafwaya said Sampa later appointed Robert Chabinga, the MP for Mafinga Constituency and Anthony Mumba, representing Kantanshi Constituency as Leader of the Opposition in Parliament and Opposition Whip, respectively.

“It will be noted that this is from the background that in June, 2023, the Speaker of the National Assembly was written to inform her that the PF had substituted Sampa with Sydney Mushanga,the Bwacha MP as representative of the Party in the Pan African Parliament,” he said.

“I have no doubt that the Speaker of the National Assembly, Ms Nellie Butete Kashumba Mutti, is a public officer,” he noted in the letter, adding that Mutti ignored the said letter and the instructions contained therein.

“After the Patriotic Front learnt of Ng’ona’s letter, the substantive Secretary-General of the PF, Raphael Nakachinda wrote a letter on the October31, 2023 to the speaker of the National Assembly informing her that there were no changes in the offices of Leader of opposition, Patriotic Front whip and deputy whip.”

He said the Speaker, acting through the Clerk of National Assembly, in total defiance of the information provided and Article 74 (2), responded to the letter sent through the office of the Leader of the Opposition.

He claimed that after receipt of these documents, the Speaker, in total disregard of Article 74(2) of the constitution, went ahead to recognise Chabinga as leader of opposition.

Kafwaya also claimed that in accordance with Article 74 (2) of the Constitution, a person only assumes the office of Leader of the Opposition after an election by members of the opposition political party in parliament with the largest number of members.

He, therefore, alleged that the Speaker acted contrary to the provisions of the Constitution when she effected changes in the office of Leader of Opposition, thereby constituting an act of abuse of office by a public officer.

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Zambia: APP leader lampoons PF over pledge to reverse forfeited properties

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Leader of one of Zambia’s opposition parties, Advocates for People’s Prosperity (APP), Mwenye Musenge, has criticised the Patriotic Front (PF) over its promise to reverse forfeited properties if the party won the 2026 presidential election.

Musenge, who was reacting to a statement credited to the PF Member of Parliament (MP) for Lukashya Province, George Chisanga, described the PF’s promise as a betrayal, saying the declaration had exposed the party’s disregard for accountability and justice.

The APP leader, who spoke to Zambia Monitor in a telephone interview from Kitwe, expressed shock that Chisanga, a former Law Association of Zambia president, would endorse what he termed a “regressive agenda,” accusing the PF of prioritising the protection of corrupt individuals over the welfare of citizens.

“This declaration reveals the PF’s true intentions, returning to power not to serve Zambians, but to shield their corrupt network and restore stolen assets,” Musenge said.

He alleged that former President Edgar Lungu’s consistent calls to protect his family, who he claimed cannot explain their amassed wealth, further demonstrate the party’s self-serving mission.

Musenge further described the PF as “a political carcass animated by greed and nostalgia for its days of unchecked looting,” and accused its leaders of leaving Zambia impoverished while enriching themselves.

“Allowing them near power again would be akin to handing a butcher’s knife to a thief already drenched in the blood of the nation’s resources.

“The PF represents everything wrong with Zambian politics—a relic of the past clinging to survival through recycled lies and corrupt agendas,” he added.

Musenge went on to call for the party to be permanently eradicated, saying it had no vision, morality, or credibility to serve Zambians.

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Nigerian Senate confirms influx of terrorists from Mali, Burkina Faso into the country 

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The Nigerian Senate has raised the alarm over the influx of terrorists from Mali and Burkina Faso who operate in the name of Lakurawa, into Kebbi, Sokoto, Kaduna and Niger States in the northern parts of the country.

The Upper Chamber, which raised the alarm during plenary on Wednesday, called on the military to set up early warning mechanisms to forestall further incursions by terrorist groups as well as maintain presence and vigilance in the affected communities to halt the activities of the terror group from spreading further across the region.

The resolutions of the Senate were sequel to a motion titled, “Urgent need for the federal government to take stringent measures to stop the infiltration of a group of violent terrorists, known as Lakurawa, from entrenching themselves in some northwest states of Sokoto and Kebbi,” and was sponsored by the senator representing Kebbi North, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi, and co- sponsored by Senators Adamu Aliero, from Kebbi Central, and Garba Musa Maidoki, representing Kebbi South.

While presenting the motion, Senator Abdullahi said:

“The Senate is aware that a group of terrorists from neighbouring Burkina Faso and Mali, known as Lakurawa, has infiltrated the country through the Nigeria-Niger border, at Illela, Tangaza and Silame Local Government Areas of Sokoto and are from there, attacking communities in Augie and Arewa LGAs in Kebbi State.

“Recall that this violent gang of terrorists had raided and dispossessed these communities, prior to the large-scale invasion of Mera, a village in Augie Local Government, on November 8, 2024, killing more than 20 people and fleeing with their livestock, amounting to hundreds of millions of naira.

“Senate is aware that Kebbi State government promptly responded by sending a delegation with relief materials to the affected villages and assistance to the families of the deceased.

“Aware that Senator Yahaya A. Abdullahi (Kebbi North) and Senator Adamu Aliero (Kebbi North Central) and Senator Garba Musa Maidoki (Kebbi South), along with some members of the House of Representatives from Kebbi State, have been to those areas, to commiserate with victims of the attacks on behalf of the National Assembly.

“Aware that if timely, adequate and decisive measures are not taken, this group can spread its reign of terror to other northern parts of the country and beyond.

“Notes the prompt response of the ministry of defence and the armed forces who despatched a well-armed military response squad that was able to dislodge the terrorists and secured the release of herds of cattle and other livestock stolen by the terrorists. These foreigners have invaded the country.

“We need to nip the situation in the bud, they have international connections, heavily armed with very dangerous weapons, the federal government should take the matter very seriously.

‘These terrorists are well armed with highly sophisticated weapons, this is a very serious matter on national security, they control the whole of Northern Mali and now attacking Kebbi, Sokoto, Kaduna, Niger, and others. The time to act is now, we have to take action on how to tame terrorism.”

He said the Senate should revisit past resolutions on terrorism and send them to the Presidency for immediate action.

”I want us to recall what happened in the 8th and 9th Senates. We discussed extensively how we can stem the tide of banditry and terrorism. We made far-reaching recommendations, and we asked the Executive arm of government to implement those resolutions.

“It is still relevant for us to insist that those resolutions should be implemented, if we do so, it will reduce the incidences of banditry and insurgency in the country. We can reduce it to the barest minimum.”

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