Munir Zulu to present 50 witnesses before court

Munir Zulu to present 50 witnesses before court

LUMEZI Independent member of parliament, Munir Zulu is this week expected to present a crowd of 50 witnesses as he tries to weave himself out of a possible trip to jail over seditious practices for which he has already been found with a case to answer.

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After being put on his defence by Senior Resident Magistrate Faides Hamaundu, the you parliamentarian left everyone saucer-eyed when he said fugitive former former lawmaker Emmanuel Jay Banda would also be on list of the 50 witnesses testifying in his favour

The court court then gave Zulu the whole week to bring all his witnesses and conclude his defence.

When he opened his defence yesterday, Zulu denied the allegations stating the Banda would also be on the witness list.

Zulu’s legal troubles stem from the remarks attributed to him in the wake of Banda’s purported abduction last May.

When the matter came up yesterday for continued defence, Milenge Member of Parliament, Gystave Chonde Saka told the court that words uttered by Zulu were not seditious.

He said Zulu did not incite people to rise against a sitting Government, it was a sombre mood that day and members of Parliament were trying to address the issue.

Saka said it was very clear that Zulu in his address was appealing to the President to act on the disappearance of Banda.

“The interest in which the press conference was raised was to get or air the concerns to the President for action on the  disappearance of Banda and the mood of the conference was Sombre and an appeal,” he said.

In this matter, Zulu pleaded not guilty to three counts of seditious practices contrary to Section 57 sub section 1 part b as read with Section 60 subsection 1 part e and f of the Penal Code Act Chapter 87 of the Laws of  Zambia.

Particulars of the offence allege that Zulu on unknown dates but between May 25 and 27 uttered seditious words to raise discontent or disaffection among the people of Zambia.

Zulu is also alleged to have uttered seditious words to promote feelings of ill will or hostility between different communities or different parts of a community.

Further allegations are that Zulu on a date unknown but between May 26 and 27, 2024 in Lusaka uttered seditious words to which he said”… The worst of the Patriotic Front we never witnessed a Member of Parliament being abducted. The worst of the Patriotic Front we never saw a Member of Parliament’s residence being burnt down. You at your best a Member of Parliament has disappeared. At your best, at your methodical, a house has been burnt down. And we know there is a list. Mr. President in case you do not know, the people you give instructions to have families and information is filtering.

By Lucy Phiri

Kalemba January 22, 2025