Mfuwe MP’s seditious case set for judgement today
LUSAKA Senior Resident Magistrate, Trever Kasanda will today at 09:00 hours deliver Judgement in a matter where Mfuwe member of Parliament, Maureen Mabonga is facing two counts of seditious practices.
Mabonga pleaded not guilty to two counts of Seditious prac
tices contrary to the laws of Zambia.
It is alleged in count one that Mabonga on a date unknown but between May 25 and 28 2024 in Lusaka uttered seditious words.
“Do you want us to be moving with guns? Start killing each other? Is this where we are going? Is this what we want as Zambians? Because we can do it,” Mabonga was cited.
“Today it is Jay Jay that has been abducted. Tomorrow it is another person and you want us to sit back and relax… After all, you got power. We don’t understand why people are still bitter. Country men and women we are going to fight if it is the fight they want we are going to fight and we are ready to fight.”
These remarks were among other words uttered were deemed tto incite violence or any offence prejudicial to public order or in disturbance of the public peace.
Earlier, the court found her with a case to answer and put her on defence after the state proved their case beyond reasonable doubts.
Mabonga in her defence explained that she never committed any crime by defending her fellow opposition leaders from threats allegedly issued by the ruling United party for national development (UPND).
She said she watched the videos on Facebook where former president, Edgar Lungu was allegedly being attacked and insulted by cadres.
Mabonga explained that the disrespect was not only smeared on the former president but also on other PF members of parliament such Mambilima Member of Parliament, Jean Chisenga, Petauke member of Parliament Emmanuel Jay Banda among others.
Mabonga said it was such issues that made her decide to be part of the PF members who organised to have a press conference and discuss the mentioned issues.
She said her utterances and comments at the said press conference, led to her charges of sedition and eventually, into the matter before the Lusaka Magistrate Court.
Mabonga further explained that in the charge relating to count one, she was responding to the threats that were issued by the UPND from Western and Southern provinces.
“My words were not seditious and I didn’t intend to promote any violence, I intended to bring out these issues to the attention of the nation and the law enforcement agencies,” she said.
She said as a Member of Parliament, she has been receiving information from people and cadres from PF who felt that they were being suppressed.
“UPND cadres had called PF criminals, I was trying to bring that out, I didn’t intend to promote ill will, I intended to bring all these issues to the attention of the authorities and the law enforcement agencies and the nation at large,” said Mabonga.
She added that was an MP, representing a section of society, therefore she had a right to speak for and on behalf of the said people.
Mabonga emphasised that she was a calm person by nature and everyone around her was safe.
By Lucy Phiri
Kalemba May 7, 2025
Mabonga please show leadership and courage with equal tenacity you demonstrated when you uttered those seditious words. The world watched you. Receive the judgement, you are alone.