⬆️ MORNING WIRE | Netizens Weigh in on State Appeal in Malanji, Yamba Cases
The State’s decision to appeal the sentences of former Foreign Affairs Minister Joseph Malanji and former Treasury Secretary Fredson Yamba has ignited a firestorm online and within political circles. Netizens, legal watchers, and anonymous insiders say the move signals that Zambia’s corruption fight has entered a sharper, more dangerous phase.
On Facebook and WhatsApp platforms, voices are divided. “These sentences were too light. You steal millions and walk with four years? The DPP is right to push harder,” wrote one user. Another countered: “This is not justice, it is politics. The target is PF and nothing else.”
The DPP’s appeal specifically challenges the short custodial terms and Malanji’s acquittal on the Gibson Royal Hotel. But sources close to the matter told The People’s Brief that the net is widening.
“The State wants clarity on who authorized the use of the presidential jet for cash movements. Signatures are being tracked. This could drag in more names,” one official with knowledge of the probe said.
On X, reactions were blunt. “If Malanji could sign for $11 million, surely someone above him allowed it. Let us not pretend,” wrote one user. Another warned: “We know where this is going. Soon PF will be too scared to even elect a leader. Whoever they choose, UPND will just arrest.”
WhatsApp groups tied to PF structures echoed the fear. In one widely shared message, a PF district chairperson urged caution: “Let us not rush into conventions. The State is waiting to pounce on anyone we put forward. We are safer leaderless for now.”
For analysts, the tension lies at the heart of Zambia’s political transition. Fred Mambo, a political observer told The People’s Brief: “The DPP is framing this as a test case for accountability. But PF supporters are convinced it is a strategy to weaken the opposition before 2026. Both narratives will harden as arrests climb.”
The unfolding appeal has placed the judiciary under renewed scrutiny, as comparisons mount between heavy sentences for petty crimes and relatively short jail terms for high-profile corruption.
“The public wants justice that matches the crime. Anything less fuels suspicion,” said Juliet Nsama, a Lusaka-based lawyer.
The debate now is no longer about Malanji and Yamba alone. It is about how far the State is willing to go in probing the misuse of power, and whether Zambia’s institutions can withstand the political shockwaves that follow.
© The People’s Brief | Morning Wire