Acting CJ Musonda is HH acquaintance & not qualified not be appointed CJ – Sangwa
Prominent Lusaka Lawyer and state counsel John Sangwa has written a five paged letter to President Hakainde Hichilema – HH Challenging him to raise above personal interest and avoid appointing personal acquaintances which risks the country from attaining a constitutionally desired independent judiciary.
The State Counsel has re-stated his call that the position of Chief Justice – CJ should be advertised as opposed to just making a presidential appointment in order for the judiciary to retain its independence and install the rule of law in Zambia. He also confirmed that he had gotten credible information that Deputy Chief Justice Michael Musonda was about to be appointed as Chief Justice.
Sangwa has further revealed in the same letter to President Hichilema seen by the Zambian Business Times – ZBT that the current acting Chief Justice who is the substantive deputy Chief Justice – Michael Musonda is not fit to be head of the judiciary as he is an acquaintance of HH.
The prominent lawyer who has stated in the same letter that his calls for advertising for the role of CJ is not motivated by his personal ambition or having his own preferred candidate stated that Justice Micheal Musonda does not believe in the independence of the Judiciary, a situation that renders him undesirable for establishing the rule of law in Zambia.
Sangwa revealed in the letter to President HH that “ Mr. President, I know that you and Deputy Chief Justice Michael Musonda have been acquaintances for a long time . He previously saved as your legal counsel including when you purchased property number 488a.40/a/3 serval road from the National Tobacco Board of Zambia in July 1995. Nevertheless, the appointment of the Chief Justice of Zambia requires you, Mr. President, to raise above personal ties and considerations in the interests of the public and the need for an independent judiciary”.
Sangwa further argued that “ infact, given your [HH] personal ties to Deputy Justice Musonda, it is in your [HH] best interest, and in his [Justice Musonda’s] interest, to ensure that the process relating to the appointment of the CJ is done in an open and transparent manner to avoid perceptions that you [HH] are opposed to such a process because your ally is involved”.
Deputy CJ Michael Musonda was appointed acting Chief Justice by immediate former President Edgar Lungu after the sudden and shocking death of Justice Ireen Mambilima in Egypt, in June 2021, about two months prior to the 12 August, 2021 general elections.
Zambia’s first female chief justice, Irene Mambilima died in an Egyptian hospital after being taken ill while on an official tour. Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation – ZNBC then quoted a statement issued by President Edgar Lungu’s principal private secretary Simon Miti who confirmed the death but did not give details, but said she had travelled for official duty on June 10, 2021. Justice Mambilima, 69, had been appointed Chief Justice of Zambia on February 26, 2015.
Credit:Zambian Business Times