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Internal crisis in Zambian opposition party PF escalates as faction expels nine MPs

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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.”

Metro

Zambia’s ruling party UPND warns against personal attacks on President Hichilema

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Zambia’s ruling party, the UPND, has warned opposition politicians and critics against personal attacks on President Hakainde Hichilema as his meekness should not be mistaken for weakness.

Secretary-General of the UPND, Batuke Imenda, who gave the warning in a statement in Lusaka on Monday, urged political opponents to always engage in mature and issue-based discourse.

Zambia Monitor reports that Imenda’s warning, was directed at the leader of Zambia Must Prosper (ZMP) party, Kelvin Bwalya Fube, whose recent remarks Imenda described as “provocative” and a “feeble attempt to mislead citizens.”

“Provocative words uttered by Kelvin Bwalya against our party and President Hichilema are a clear demonstration of naivety,” Imenda said in the statement.

He further advised Bwalya to abandon personal attacks and focus on substantial political issues.

The UPND Secretary suggested that Bwalya’s attacks stemmed from a desire for relevance amid declining political fortunes, hinting at a possible alignment with former President Edgar Lungu.

“It appears KBF is hoping that Edgar Lungu might support his embattled political career by unjustly attacking President Hichilema,” he said.

Imenda defended the President’s record, highlighting that under Hichilema’s leadership, Zambia’s democratic space had expanded compared to the previous PF administration, which he accused of stifling freedoms.

He noted that while criticism was welcome, it should not devolve into baseless attacks, warning that opposition figures should not misinterpret Hichilema’s restraint as weakness.

Imenda also criticized Bwalya for overlooking the gains in transparency and justice since the change in government, claiming that past regimes were marked by resource mismanagement and corruption.

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Metro

Following backlash, Nigerian govt withdraws treason charges against minors

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The Nigerian government has officially withdrawn the treason charges it entered against some minors who participated in the #EndBadGovernance protest that spread across the country from August 1 to the 10th.

The nation was thrown into shock on Friday when the Nigeria Police presented 76 protesters at the Federal High Court in Abuja on charges bordering on treason. Among the suspects were four minors who slumped before they could be arraigned before the court.

This caused serious uproar in the country with Nigerians condemning the government and calling for the unconditional release of the kids and the dismissal of the charges against them.

The decision to withdraw the charges against the underage accused came following a directive by President Bola Tinubu who ordered the immediate withdrawal of the charges and an in-depth investigation into what led to the arrest and detention of the minors.

Tinubu had also ordered the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, (SAN) to officially take over the case file as well as review the cases following public outcry that came with the arraignment of the minors.

The charges were finally withdrawn on Tuesday at the Federal High Court in Abuja through an application for discontinuance filled by the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), Mohammed Abubakar, on behalf of the AGF.

According to Abubakar, the discontinuance application was based on provisions of sections 174(1), (b) and (c) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, and 108 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, 2015.

The DPPF also applied for further proceedings to be conducted without the presence of the minors in the courtroom, in line with provisions of Section 266(b) of the ACJA, 2015, and Section 1 of the Childs’ Rights Act.

In response, human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Fanala (SAN), who stood in for the accused as well as other defence lawyers in the matter, did not oppose the applications which promoted the judge, Justice Obiora Egwuatu, to strike out the charges, while the four affected minors were also delisted from the charge sheet.

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