Is DPP Office Jinxed?
By Dickson Jere
If there is any constitutional office in Zambia that seemed jinxed is the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP). Almost of all substantive DPPs in recent history have been hounded out of the office in dramatic fashion and yet it is the most protected constitutional office in Zambia!
Immediate past DPP Mutembo Nchito, SC, found himself in police detention in Chongwe police cell before he entered a nolle prosequi for himself in what we, in legal circles, described as a “legal selfie”. This was after President Michael Sata, who had appointed him died and President Edgar Lungu took charge. A tribunal was appointed that found him “wanting” but that issue remain unresolved as it is before the Constitutional Court.
And then, we had DPP Mukelebai Makelebai, who was equally hounded out of the office under President Levy Mwanawasa,SC, on the grounds that he was frustrating the fight against corruption. A lie was told that he met with former spymaster Xavier Chungu in Livingstone who was in trial for corruption. A tribunal was established that cleared him of the allegations but recommended his removal because public confidence was eroded in the office of DPP at that time. He went on to die in mysterious circumstances in South Africa.
Under President Rupiah Banda, we had Chalwe Mchenga as DPP. Upon change of government in 2011, The Post newspaper and others started a malicious campaign to hound Mchenga out of the office on unsubstantiated allegations. It took President Michael Sata to publicly stop the vicious attacks and had Mchenga appointed High Court Judge – straight from being DPP. Sata managed the process a bit better.
But then, we also had DPP Mebeelo Kalima under President Frederick Chiluba who was equally hounded out of the office. A tribunal was appointed to probe him but decided to call it “quit” before the tribunal could even hear the evidence.
And now?
We have DPP Lillian Siyuni…
History has the tendency of repeating itself – so we are told – but often we do not listen. Let those with ears hear!