The internal crisis rocking Zambia’s main opposition party, the Patriotic Front (PF), has taken a new dimension as one of the factions led by Miles Sampa has expelled 9 Members of Parliament (MPs) over alleged gross misconduct.
The new dimension to the crisis reportedly emerged when Secretary-General of the Sampa-led faction, Morgan Ng’ona, on December 2, wrote to the 10 MPs on the party’s platform asking them to explain why they should not be punished for attending an alleged illegal meeting unknown to the party leadership.
In a follow up letter on December 6, Ng’ona had reminded the lawmakers of their failure to respond to the earlier query after four days and threatened sanctions on the erring MPs.
“Individual and collective discipline is paramount and at the core of our party values. Your behavior abrogated Article 29 sub sections (c) (d) (h) (i) (J) (P) of our party constitution,” part of the letter read.
It added that considering the gravity of the offences committed and the MPs’ lack of remorse, the party had no option but to “expel them with immediate effect.”
“You are further directed to surrender all party properties and documents that are in your possession and cease henceforth to participate in all Patriotic Front programmes,” he said.
According to the Sampa faction of the PF, the expelled lawmakers include Brian Mundubile, Stephen Kampyongo, Luntes’ Mutotwe Kafwaya, Pambashe’ Ronald Chitotela, and Nickson Chilangwa.
Others are Remember Mutale, Musonda Mpankata, Christopher Kangombe, and Mulenga Fube.
However, the Edgar Lungu-led faction has dismissed the purported expulsion of the legislators, describing it as not only illegal, but a nullity that should be ignored.
Its spokesperson, Emmanuel Mwamba, in a statement, noted that issues were active matters in the Lusaka High Court and Lusaka Magistrate Court.
Mwamba said the actions being carried out with impunity by the Sampa-led faction violated the sanctity and integrity of the courts of law.
“We have noted the purported letters of disciplinary action that were issued by a Mr. Morgan Ngona against certain Patriotic Front members of parliament,” he stated.
Mwamba further advised that the letters and action from the Sampa faction should be treated as part of a “case of typical forgery which the party had repeatedly complained about to the police and the courts of law.”
He insisted that the party had demonstrated that Sampa or his appointed officials had no authority, mandate, or powers to suspend or expel anyone in the PF.
“Further he has no mandate to carry out political activities in the name of the Patriotic Front,” Mwamba said, insisting that
Sampa himself was a suspended official at the time he held an illegal conference, a further aggravated action that earned him an expulsion from the PF.
Mwamba ended by saying the action was illegal, and therefore, “all subsequent actions Sampa and his so-called Secretary-General, were engaged in, remain a nullity, and should be treated so.”