Metro

Group accuses Zambian Speaker Mutti of breaching country’s constitution

Published

10 months ago

March 6, 2024

A Zambian coalition, the United Kwacha Alliance (UKA), has accused Speaker of the National Assembly, Nelly Mutti, of several breaches of the country’s constitution and demanded the parliament to bring an end to her “excesses before she plunges the country into chaos.”

The alliance’s Chairperson for Communications, Jackson Silavwe, who made the call in a statement in Lusaka, said Mutti´s continued “wanton breach of the nation’s constitution has made her a threat to the very core legislative justice and discourse.”

He stated further that if Mutti’s “wanton desecration of the constitution was not stopped, the country would have nothing but only a shell of democracy left.”

“We refer to the matter of her decision to ‘endorse’ one Miles Sampa as the sole candidate for Zambia to the presidency of the Pan African Parliament (PAP), a decision that has raised dust not only in Zambia but the entire continent,” Silavwe cited.

He noted that the speaker had no such right to nominate Sampa due to the legal encumbrances that surrounded his very existence in the Zambian parliament.

Silavwe said in October of 2023, Sampa, the Matero Constituency Member of Parliament, was first suspended and then later expelled for a myriad of offences.

“These offences are not just on the table of his former ruling party the Patriotic Front (PF), but also in the courts of law in Zambia as well as the very Parliament that Mutti presides over.”

Silavwe also noted that respected Constitutional lawyer John Sangwa observed that the issue of Sampa, “cannot be adjudicated upon by any other body until the courts act.”

“He was further quoted in a recorded live interview on Radio Phoenix as having said the Speaker has gone rogue because you cannot have a matter before the courts of law adjudicated upon by anyone else.”

Silavwe also alleged that the parliament Speaker was granting the favours to her cronies and nominating Sampa for the presidency of PAP showed she had been compromised.

“It is therefore with utter dismay that we have noted Mutti´s decision to not only endorse Sampa, an embattled member of parliament but to also write a letter to the Pan African Parliament (PAP) recommending that he becomes the President of PAP from our Parliament and where he was expelled by his party,” he said.

He noted that Mutti had ignored court processes challenging her decision to recognise the “renegade” Sampa as President of PF, which, in UKA’s view, lend credence to the fact that Mutti was committing further breach of the constitution by endorsing Sampa to the highest seat in PAP.

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Metro

Zambia: Expert warns of food security threat due to climate change

Published

9 minutes ago

December 22, 2024

Isaac Dachen

A prominent Zambian climate-smart agriculture expert, Oliver Bulaya, has warned of a collapse of the county’s agricultural sector with a potential threat to food security due to the worsening impact of climate change.

Bulaya, who bared his mind in an interview with Zambia Monitor on Friday, warned that ignoring the crisis could lead to severe disruptions in the country’s food supply and economy.

“Unless concerted efforts are made, the country will continue facing dire consequences from climate change,” the expert noted.

He lamented a growing trend of farmers relocating to regions experiencing above-normal rainfall, such as the northern block, as they struggle with losses caused by climate variability.

Bulaya emphasized that the once-reliable rainfall areas like North-Western Zambia are now experiencing lower precipitation, as seen during the 2023/2024 farming season and cautioned that poor farming practices, which had already strained the Southern region, could lead to similar challenges in other parts of the country if proactive measures were not implemented.

Metro

Outrage over murder of Nigerian beaten to death by South Africans inside estate security office

Published

5 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Isaac Dachen

The Nigerian community, under the auspices of Nigerian Citizens Association in South Africa (NICASA), has raised the alarm over the murder of a 37-year-old Nigerian, Julius Chukwunta, who was beaten to death by four South Africans inside an estate.

According to the association, Chukwunta, a native of Aninri Local Government Area in Enugu State, was reportedly attacked on Saturday, December 7, while driving to his residence in Midrand Protea Estate.

In a statement issued on Saturday by the President-General of NICASA, Dr Frank Onyekwelu, Chukwunta was blocked by the four men while approaching his residence.

Onyekwelu stated that information available to the association noted that after attempting to pass through, Chukwunta was met with resistance by the assailants, prompting him to seek help at the security office of the estate.

“At that moment, the four men allegedly attacked him, leaving him severely injured with a head wound,” the PG said.

“His female companion, who was sitting in the car, rushed to the security office and discovered him bleeding on the ground.

“In spite of attempts to call for help, the security office and residents did not assist in calling the police or an ambulance.

“After an hour, Chukwunta’s partner contacted her father, who, along with other family members, took him to Tembisa General Hospital.

“Chukwunta was placed on life support but later succumbed to his injuries and died at the Tembisa General Hospital on December 10, 2024.”

Onyekwelu also confirmed that the case was reported to the police by Chukwunta’s partner at the Midrand Police Station and was registered under file number 262/12/2024.

The NICASA President said the four suspects, aged 20, 24, 27, and 28, were arrested, and the case was presented in Alexandra Magistrate Court on December 13, 2024, where they were charged with murder.

“The court proceedings on December 18, 2024, saw three of the suspects granted bail of R10,000 each, while the fourth had not yet applied for bail. The case was adjourned to February 3, 2025.”

Onyekwelu however, expressed disappointment at the proceedings, wondering why three of the suspects were released on bail and vowed that the Nigerian community would continue to demand justice for Chukwunta and support his family.

He emphasised that the community would not rest until justice was served and the value of Nigerian lives was upheld in South Africa.