Kenny Kunene Refuses to Apologise as Julius Malema Seeks R1 Million Over ‘Boy’ Remark
Patriotic Alliance deputy president Kenny Kunene has flatly refused to apologise to EFF leader Julius Malema, setting the stage for a high-stakes defamation battle over remarks made on a popular podcast.
The legal dispute originates from a February 2026 episode of Podcast and Chill with MacG. Malema is suing Kunene for R1 million, alleging defamation over two key claims . Firstly, Kunene referred to Malema as “a boy,” a term Malema’s legal team argues carries deeply offensive racial undertones given South Africa’s history . Secondly, Malema is challenging Kunene’s assertions that he would leave the home of businessman Adriano Mazzotti at night to meet the late taxi boss Jotham “Mswazi” Msibi, a figure linked to an alleged criminal syndicate known as the “Big Five” cartel .
Instead of backing down, Kunene has submitted an answering affidavit supported by witness statements . He claims his statements are substantially true and in the public interest, pointing out that Malema attended and spoke at Msibi’s funeral in 2024 .
“I want to put it on record that I have no intention of apologising to Mr Malema,” Kunene said in a statement, describing the lawsuit as a “shameless abuse of our courts” .
This is not the first such legal clash between the two; a court previously ordered Kunene to apologise for calling Malema a “cockroach” in a separate hate speech case . In that instance, the court ruled the term had “genocidal connotations” .
Kunene has indicated he is prepared for a protracted legal fight rather than a negotiated settlement .
Trump Briefed on Claims Iran’s Leader Khamenei Is Gay
U.S. President Donald Trump has sparked global controversy after revealing that intelligence agencies briefed him on sensitive allegations concerning Mojtaba Khamenei.
According to reports, Trump referenced claims circulating within intelligence circles about Khamenei’s personal life, including allegations regarding his sexuality. However, no verified or publicly confirmed evidence has been presented, and the claims remain unproven.
The remarks come at a time of heightened tensions between the United States and Iran, following the rise of Mojtaba Khamenei to power after the death of his father, Ali Khamenei.
Analysts suggest the public mention of such intelligence…especially involving personal matters…may reflect deeper geopolitical strategy, aimed at influencing perception within Iran’s leadership structure and beyond.
In Iran, where strict laws criminalize LGBTQ+ identity, such allegations carry serious political and social implications. Observers warn that repeating unverified intelligence could escalate tensions and further complicate an already volatile situation.
Iran claims second strike on US aircraft carrier as tensions escalate
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed it launched a second missile strike targeting the US aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea.
According to Iranian state-linked sources, the attack forms part of its ongoing military campaign against US forces in the region, with Tehran asserting that its missiles directly targeted the carrier.
However, the United States has rejected the claims, maintaining that the USS Abraham Lincoln remains fully operational and was not hit.
No independent verification has confirmed Iran’s claims, raising questions over whether the announcement is part of a broader information warfare strategy amid escalating tensions.
The situation highlights the growing risk of miscalculation and narrative warfare, as both sides project power while controlling the flow of information in an already volatile region.
Gulf states condemn Iran over Hormuz closure, warn of possible countermeasures
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has strongly condemned Iran’s move to block the Strait of Hormuz, calling it a breach of international “red lines” with direct consequences for global energy security.
Member states including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar stressed that the vital waterway cannot be controlled unilaterally, as the disruption threatens the flow of over 20 million barrels of oil per day and risks triggering wider economic instability.
The bloc has urged urgent action from the UN Security Council to restore navigation, while warning that escalating tensions may force regional powers to consider direct countermeasures to protect their strategic and economic interests.
Breaking News : Israeli Military Chief Warns of Potential Internal Collapse Amid Severe Troop Shortage Israel’s
Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir has issued a stark warning that the country’s military could “collapse in on itself” if urgent steps are not taken to address a growing manpower crisis within the Israel Defense Forces.
Speaking during a high-level security cabinet meeting, Zamir reportedly raised multiple red flags over the current strain on Israeli forces, highlighting a shortage of approximately 12,000 personnel.
The warning comes as the military continues to manage sustained operations across multiple fronts, placing heavy reliance on reserve forces and extended deployments.
According to reports, the Chief of Staff stressed that without immediate policy changes including reforms to conscription laws, expansion of recruitment pools, and adjustments to service duration, the structural stability of the military could be at risk over time.
The warning is not an indication of an immediate collapse, but rather a forward-looking assessment of the risks posed by prolonged operational pressure combined with insufficient troop levels.
It also reflects ongoing internal debates within Israel regarding military service obligations and force sustainability. The situation underscores the increasing burden on Israel’s defense apparatus as it navigates complex and prolonged regional tensions.
Israel claims killing of IRGC Navy commander linked to Hormuz strategy
Israel’s defense officials have claimed responsibility for a strike that targeted and killed a senior IRGC Navy commander, identified as a key figure behind efforts to control the Strait of Hormuz.
The operation reportedly also affected other high-ranking naval personnel, with Israel signaling the move as part of efforts to counter threats to critical global shipping routes.
The claim has not been independently confirmed, as tensions remain elevated following recent measures by Iran to tighten control over maritime transit in the region.
U.S. warns Pakistan poses threat on par with Iran over missile ambitions
U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has warned that Pakistan’s advancing long-range missile program could elevate it to a global security threat level comparable to Iran.
Speaking to Congress, she highlighted rapid progress in solid-fuel missile technology, which could extend Pakistan’s strike capability beyond South Asia and alter regional deterrence dynamics.
The assessment signals growing concern in Washington, with Pakistan potentially being grouped alongside major missile powers such as Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran.
Iran parliament speaker vows total victory, rejects U.S. pressure
Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has declared that Tehran will continue fighting until achieving “decisive victory,” rejecting any conditions or ultimatums from the United States.
He emphasized national sovereignty and public support, stating Iran’s forces are fully prepared to deliver a strong response and deter future attacks, framing the conflict as a long-term strategic struggle.
The remarks contrast with reports of indirect diplomatic efforts, signaling a widening gap between battlefield rhetoric and ongoing backchannel negotiations.
勞SOUTH AFRICA MARCHES TO KICK OUT AFRICANS — RAMAPHOSA, IS THIS THE PAN-AFRICA YOUR FATHERS DIED FOR? ✊
The streets of Durban are BURNING with a dangerous message!
Hundreds of South Africans marched through Durban this week, led by the March and March movement, backed by ActionSA, Operation Dudula, MKP,IFP and the Patriotic Alliance demanding the mass deportation of undocumented migrants from:
Nigeria Zimbabwe Pakistan Bangladesh
Their message? “South Africa First.” The reality? African blood being turned away at African borders.
Police fired rubber bullets and teargas to control the crowds.
A deportation memorandum was handed to government officials Protesters demanded migrants be removed from jobs, housing & public services
President Cyril Ramaphosa your ANC was sheltered by Nigeria, Zimbabwe and the rest of Africa when apartheid hunted you. Nkrumah warned us. Lumumba died for us. Sankara fed us. The dream was ONE Africa not Africans deporting Africans.
Borderless Africa is not a fantasy. It is the only way forward.
The AU’s Agenda 2063 calls for free movement across the continent. But while leaders sign papers at summits, citizens are being rubber-bulleted in the streets for crossing borders their ancestors never drew.
Do you support free movement across Africa, or should every nation put its citizens first?
RAMAPHOSA IN TROUBLE AS MALEMA TURNS UP THE HEAT OVER DELAYED PHALA PHALA JUDGMENT — PRESSURE MOUNTS ON THE PRESIDENT
President Cyril Ramaphosa is facing growing pressure as Julius Malema demands answers over the delayed Phala Phala judgment, a case that has already shaken the country.
The leader of the EFF is now pushing the judiciary to act, insisting that South Africans deserve clarity on a scandal that directly implicates the President. And with every delay, the tension only grows stronger.
Many believe this is no longer just a legal matter — it has become a full-blown political crisis.
Supporters of Malema argue that he is simply holding power accountable, forcing the system to act on an issue that affects public trust..
But critics warn that this pressure could be seen as interference in the judiciary, raising serious concerns about the independence of the courts.
Political commentator Zaki Mathebula added fuel to the fire, suggesting that the situation is becoming increasingly uncomfortable for Ramaphosa, as the spotlight intensifies and expectations rise.
FIVE mayors and about 20 councilors have defected to the United Party for National Development (UPND) with President Hakainde Hichilema instructing old members to work with the new members in winning the August polls with a landslide.
The mayors that have joined the ruling party include Kitwe mayor Mpasa Mwaya and Chipata mayor George Mwanza.
https://youtu.be/RJ0tKyhQyxo?si=Ji0PSaR2O5TJwP0v
Others are Lundazi council chairperson Golden Tembo, Milenge council chairperson Clement Mwila and Chembe council chairperson Chishala Chama.
Roan Member of Parliament (MP) Joel Chibuye has also joined the party together with former deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Gabriel Namulambe.
PF DYNAMICS INTENSIFY AS UPND COURTS LUBINDA AMID PRAISE FROM PARTY INSIDERS
THE Patriotic Front’s internal dynamics have come under renewed spotlight following remarks by Obvious Mwaliteta, who has openly urged former party leader Given Lubinda to defect to the ruling United Party for National Development.
Arguing that he has been used and finished despite playing a key role in maintaining the party’s structures.
Mr Mwaliteta further alleged that Lubinda’s current treatment mirrors that of Guy Scott under the Patriotic Front, suggesting a pattern of sidelining influential figures within the former ruling party.
He was speaking at the Party Secretariat when they received defectors from the Patriotic Front and Zambia Must Prosper.
Meanwhile, PF faction President Makebi Zulu has struck a contrasting tone, praising Lubinda’s leadership and revealing that senior party figures held cordial and productive discussions with him at his residence in Lusaka.
Mr Zulu commended Lubinda’s resilience and stewardship following the party’s loss of power in 2021, noting that his dedication has been instrumental in sustaining and strengthening the PF during a difficult transition period.
He further emphasized Lubinda’s continued commitment to party unity and his active involvement in efforts to reposition the PF as a strong and credible alternative, expressing confidence that his experience and guidance will remain vital as the party seeks to mobilise support and potentially push for a change of government this year.
ZAMBIA faces a constitutional dilemma if the Electoral Process Act (EPA) is not amended before the August 13 general elections, Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) legal officer Agrippa Musoka has warned.
Speaking during a panel discussion at a legal seminar organised by the Zambia Law Development Commission (ZLDC) in Lusaka, Musoka said there was urgent need to introduce the necessary amendments to the EPA and its attendant regulations before the August election window closed.
“How do we elect the 20 women, 15 youths and five persons living with disabilities? We need that amendment to come up so that we actualise Article 47 of the Constitution because the way it is; it is not actualised.
“So come August 2026, we will have a constitutional dilemma, and the only way to resolve that dilemma is by having legislation that will actualise that provision in the constitution,” Musoka said.
He said the urgency arose because the electoral system had undergone a fundamental change, moving beyond the traditional first-past-the-post model used to elect Members of Parliament, mayors and councillors to now incorporate a system of proportional representation in which parliamentary seats were allocated based on the votes obtained by presidential candidates.
“Due to that we don’t have any legislation that provides for that, so it is just a must that we have legislation enacted and those amendments made because currently we only have majoritarian for the president, which is 50 percent plus one, first past the post for MPs, councilors and mayors but now that has to change.
“We now have women, the youth, and people living with disabilities that will come in using the proportional representation system,”Musoka said.
He said the constitutional amendments introducing reserved seats for women and persons living with disabilities in local councils had created an immediate legislative gap.
Musoka said the constitution had established the principle of inclusion without specifying the actual numbers of seats to be allocated to each category, which could only be determined through enabling legislation.
He said a bill had already been drafted to address this gap and to provide the specific numerical provisions required to give practical effect to the constitutional changes, but that the bill needed to be passed urgently if the new electoral framework was to be operational before the August 13 elections.
Musoka warned that without the attendant amendments to the EPA and its regulations, the constitutional provisions on representation for women and persons living with disabilities would remain aspirational rather than enforceable.
He said this would leave the country in a legal grey area that could expose the electoral process to challenge after the elections.
BREAKING: Trump exposed for badmouthing Vance over Iran war skepticism
Cracks are forming inside the Trump White House over the Iran war, and according to new reporting, the frustration is coming straight from the top. President Trump has been making dismissive, irritated comments about Vice President JD Vance and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, grumbling privately that neither has shown enough enthusiasm for the military campaign against Iran.
White House sources told the outlet Zeteo that Trump has been knocking both figures behind closed doors, with aides reportedly caught off guard that members of his own inner circle aren’t rallying behind the war effort the way he expected.
Vance, who built his political brand in part on opposing foreign military entanglements, was reportedly a skeptical voice inside the White House in the days leading up to the February 28 strikes against Iran. He had previously written in a Wall Street Journal op-ed that Trump “won’t recklessly send Americans to fight overseas” and praised that restraint as a core selling point of the 2024 ticket. Now, with bombs having already fallen and gas prices climbing, his public silence on the matter appears to be speaking volumes.
Officials who spoke to Politico confirmed that Vance raised concerns before the strikes and has not been defending the war on television or social media with anything resembling his usual intensity. One official said Vance “just opposes” the conflict and was genuinely worried about the mission’s prospects. The operation, dubbed “Epic Fury,” has not achieved its stated goal of regime change in Iran, leaving the administration with little to show for a war it started.
Despite the reported tension, other White House officials insisted the relationship between Trump and Vance remains strong, and the White House called the story “totally false.”
Vance’s office echoed that denial, calling the report “laughably false” and attacking the credibility of the outlet that published it. But the fact that both the president’s office and the vice president’s office felt compelled to issue separate denials in the same news cycle is not exactly the picture of a unified front.
Trump has since tapped Vance to lead peace talks with Iran in Pakistan, a mission many analysts consider a near-impossible task given the current state of the conflict.
What is not in dispute is that Trump launched a war his own vice president reportedly opposed, it has not gone according to plan, gas prices are rising, and the president is now privately venting about the man who stood beside him on the campaign trail and told voters there would be no new foreign wars.
Iran’s Missile Barrage Smashed: Trump Reveals 101 Attacks on USS Abraham Lincoln All Blown Out of the Sky
President Donald Trump just dropped the truth on Iran’s latest act of aggression. The mullahs launched a massive missile assault on one of America’s mightiest warships, the USS Abraham Lincoln, and our Navy turned every single one into scrap at the bottom of the sea.
“They shot 100 missiles at one of our aircraft carriers, the Abraham Lincoln — one of the biggest ships in the world, actually. And out of 101 missiles shot, every single one of them was knocked down in the sea,” Trump said.
He didn’t stop there. “Think of that. Think of what that means. 101 missiles — highly sophisticated, very fast missiles shot. Out of 101, all 101 were shot down and now for the most part lying at the bottom of the sea.”
“When a missile is going at 2,500 miles an hour, I don’t care how far away it is… Our military is incredible. The greatest military in the history of the world.”
This wasn’t some ragtag attack. Reports point to advanced supersonic missiles, many traced back to Chinese designs funneled to Iran. The regime tried to overwhelm our defenses in the Arabian Sea, but America’s Arleigh Burke-class destroyers and top-tier systems delivered a perfect shutout.
Israel Delivers Decisive Blow: Takes Out IRGC Navy Chief Behind Strait of Hormuz Blockade
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced another major victory in Israel’s campaign against the Iranian terrorist regime.
In a direct video statement, Netanyahu declared: “We continue to forcefully strike the targets of the Iranian terrorist regime. Last night, we eliminated the Commander of the IRGC Navy. This man had a great deal of blood on his hands; he was also the one who led the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.”
The strike in Bandar Abbas took out Alireza Tangsiri, the longtime head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Navy, along with naval intelligence chief Behnam Rezaei and other top commanders. Tangsiri was directly responsible for attacks on shipping, mining operations, and the aggressive push to choke off the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil flows.
Netanyahu highlighted the strong partnership driving these successes: “This is yet another example of the cooperation between us and our friend, the United States, toward the common goal of achieving the objectives of the war.”
BREAKING: Lawrence O’Donnell calls out the Trump family’s long history of dodging military service
MSNBC host Lawrence O’Donnell delivered a blistering takedown of the Trump family’s complete absence from military service on Wednesday’s edition of The Last Word, pointing out that three members of the family are currently eligible to enlist in the very war President Trump started, and none of them show any sign of doing so.
O’Donnell zeroed in on Barron Trump, who turned 20 last week and is currently enrolled as a sophomore at New York University’s Washington, D.C. campus. With the parody site draftbarrontrump.com drawing widespread attention since Trump launched his unauthorized military campaign against Iran on February 28, O’Donnell drew a sharp and unflattering comparison between Barron and a far more famous young person who answered the call of duty.
“Before she became Queen Elizabeth, Princess Elizabeth served in uniform during World War Two while her father was king of England,” O’Donnell said. “Does Barron Trump know how to drive? Could he drive an ambulance in the army, or is he not quite as tough as the 18-year-old Princess Elizabeth was when she joined the war effort?”
O’Donnell didn’t stop there. He turned his attention to Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, both of whom were of enlistment age when the September 11 attacks happened and thousands of young Americans rushed to sign up. Neither Trump son joined them. Now that the military has raised the enlistment age to 42, O’Donnell noted that Eric Trump has a fresh opportunity to be, as he put it, “the first and only brave Trump in history.”
The president himself, O’Donnell reminded viewers, avoided the Vietnam draft five separate times, ultimately receiving a medical deferment citing bone spurs in his feet. Feet, O’Donnell noted dryly, that Trump has since spent decades walking on across golf courses around the world.
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With Eric Trump, Tiffany Trump, and Barron Trump all currently eligible to serve, O’Donnell said simply: the world is waiting.
“WE’LL STRIKE BACK HARD!” Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf Issues Stark Warning Over Alleged Island Plot
Tensions in the region have surged after Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Speaker of Iranian Parliament, issued a chilling warning over what he claims is a looming foreign-backed threat against Iran.
Citing intelligence reports, Ghalibaf alleged that Iran’s adversaries are planning to seize control of one of its strategic islands, with the backing of a regional ally. While no country was named, the statement has fuelled speculation of rising geopolitical tensions in an already volatile region.
He made it clear that Iran is closely tracking every move, warning that any attempt to violate its territory would trigger a fierce and sustained military response.
According to Ghalibaf, key infrastructure in the unnamed supporting country would face “relentless, unceasing attacks” if such an operation were launched signalling that Tehran is prepared to escalate rapidly if provoked.
Pakistan Saves Iran’s Top Talkers From Israeli Strike
Pakistan stepped in and stopped Israel from assassinating Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, according to a Reuters report citing a Pakistani official.
Israel had the coordinates and was ready to take them out. Pakistan warned the US straight up: kill these guys and there will be no one left in Iran to negotiate with. The US told Israel to stand down, and the strikes were called off.
This move keeps fragile backchannel talks alive as the Trump administration pushes for a ceasefire through intermediaries like Pakistan, Turkey, and Egypt. Trump has set a short deadline and floated a 15-point plan to end the fighting, while warning of tougher action if Iran drags its feet.
The reality is simple. The regime in Tehran is bleeding from targeted hits on its IRGC military leaders and nuclear assets. Taking out the few remaining political figures who can even pretend to cut a deal would hand total control to the hardest hardliners. No counterparty means no deal—just endless escalation, higher oil prices, and more chaos for American interests.
Israel is right to hammer Iran’s terror infrastructure and proxies. But smart power means knowing when to leave a door cracked for exit. Pakistan’s intervention, whatever its motives, highlights the cold calculus here: decapitating everyone leaves you fighting ghosts with no one to sign the surrender.
Trump’s team is playing the long game—pressure through strength, diplomacy as the off-ramp. If Iran wants to avoid total collapse, it better take the hint before the window slams shut. Weakness invites war; strength forces peace.
EMBARRASSING: Pentagon insiders are mocking Pete Hegseth with a brutal new nickname: “Dumb McNamara”
Pentagon staffers have reportedly taken to calling Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth “Dumb McNamara” behind his back, according to current and former U.S. officials who spoke to Zeteo.
The nickname draws a damning comparison to Robert McNamara, the defense secretary who dragged the United States deeper into Vietnam despite privately knowing the war was unwinnable.
Hegseth, who styled himself “Secretary of War” upon taking the job, has emerged as one of the loudest cheerleaders for Trump’s military campaign in Iran. Trump himself acknowledged it, telling a crowd in Tennessee, “Pete, I think you were the first one to speak up. You said, ‘Let’s do it.'”
McNamara, by contrast, eventually commissioned the Pentagon Papers and turned against the war. Hegseth has shown no such reflection. “We negotiate with bombs,” he said this week while referencing U.S. aircraft loitering over Tehran.
The following day, Hegseth used the Pentagon’s first monthly worship service since the Iran war began to pray for what he called “overwhelming violence.”
The parallel to McNamara carries a warning that officials say Trump should take seriously. McNamara’s war obsession is widely seen as one of the defining factors that destroyed Lyndon Johnson’s presidency. Trump’s approval numbers are already in freefall.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted March 20-23 put his job approval at just 36 percent, down four points in a single week. Support for the Iran strikes specifically sits at 35 percent, with 61 percent of Americans now opposed.
“Everything has gone to s–t,” one official told Zeteo.
AMERICA & ISRAEL JUST VOTED THAT ENSLAVING 13 MILLION AFRICANS WAS NOT THE WORLD’S GREATEST CRIME — BUT AFRICANS ARE DYING DEFENDING THEM IN THE COURT OF OPINION
Let this hit you hard, Africa.
Yesterday at the United Nations, 123 countries voted YES to declaring the Transatlantic Slave Trade the kidnapping, branding, and brutal enslavement of over 13 million Africans as the GRAVEST CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY in world history.
America said NO. Israel said NO.
The US representative stood at the UN podium and called the resolution “highly problematic” refusing to recognise any legal responsibility for a system that tore an entire continent apart for 400 years.
Israel without hesitation voted alongside them.
NOW PAUSE.
Every single day on African social media, Africans are passionately defending Israel in the ongoing Middle East war. Fighting in comment sections.
Arguing with their own brothers and sisters. Some even calling African pro-Palestinian voices traitors.
And THIS is what Israel just did at the United Nations.
They looked the world in the eye and said the suffering of YOUR great-grandparents the ones who were chained, shipped across oceans, worked to death, and stripped of everything does NOT rank as history’s greatest crime.
Not the greatest. That’s their official position. That is on the record FOREVER.
Africa, you cannot keep dying on hills for nations that don’t even respect your history.
You cannot keep defending people who just told the entire world that your ancestors’ pain was NOT the worst thing humanity ever did.
123 nations stood with Africa.
America and Israel stood against us. The receipts don’t lie.
African Hype Media does not condone violence against any civilian.
If you have been defending America or Israel during this ongoing war after seeing this UN vote, what do you say now? Africa needs to hear from you.
Pentagon ramps up missile production amid rising Middle East demand
The U.S. Department of Defense has secured new agreements with major defense contractors to accelerate missile production, aiming to replenish rapidly used stockpiles amid ongoing operations in the Middle East.
Lockheed Martin and BAE Systems will expand production of key THAAD interceptor components, while Lockheed is also increasing output of Precision Strike Missiles (PrSM), following a $4.94 billion Army contract awarded last year.
Meanwhile, Honeywell Aerospace is committing a $500 million multi-year investment to boost production of critical systems, including navigation and guidance components, as Washington shifts toward sustained wartime readiness.
Spain condemns Middle East war as “illegal,” warns of global economic fallout
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has criticized the U.S. and Israel over the conflict with Iran, calling the war “illegal” and warning it is driving up global energy prices and living costs.
Spain reports economic impact at home, with stock market losses exceeding €100 billion in under a month, prompting a €5 billion emergency package to ease fuel and electricity costs and support key sectors.
Madrid has also refused the use of key military bases for operations, signaling a firm stance as concerns grow over wider regional escalation and its economic consequences.
Israel Hammers Hezbollah Terror HQ Hidden in Beirut Radio Station
Verified video shows the Israeli Air Force delivering a devastating airstrike that obliterated Hezbollah’s command headquarters embedded inside the Noor Radio Station complex in Beirut on March 26, 2026.
The IDF confirmed the target was no ordinary broadcast facility. Terrorists from Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force were actively operating out of the site, using it as a launchpad for attacks against Israeli civilians and soldiers. Several militants were killed in the precision hit.
This strike is the latest in Israel’s relentless campaign to dismantle Hezbollah’s dual-use infrastructure across Lebanon. The terror group routinely hides military command posts, intelligence centers, and weapon systems inside civilian buildings like radio stations, TV studios, and hospitals, endangering Lebanese civilians while plotting murder.
Hezbollah, Iran’s frontline proxy, started this round of fighting with rocket barrages and border provocations. Israel is responding with overwhelming force, systematically degrading the group’s ability to threaten the Jewish state. No safe havens for terrorists, even when they masquerade as journalists.
The message is clear: embed with Hezbollah, and you become a legitimate target. Israel is defending its people and refusing to tolerate an Iranian terror army on its northern border. Keep hitting them hard.
Catholic School Payroll Boss Fired After Sick TikTok Fantasy of Trump’s Public Assassination
A payroll administrator at Ontario’s Huron-Superior Catholic District School Board has been shown the door after her unhinged TikTok rant fantasizing about the public assassination of President Donald Trump.
Cathy DiFilippo-Kiley didn’t hold back in the now-viral video. She laid out exactly how she wanted it to go down.
“I know we’re all waiting for it to happen, but here’s what I want to see occur when it happens,” she said. “With our luck, it’s probably going to be that it’s going to happen in the middle of the night, and we’re not going to know until the morning. But on one of my previous posts, I said if that happens, and you’re awake and you’re aware of it, please make sure you wake me up.”
She continued: “Okay, so here’s how I would love to see it happen. I don’t think that this should be a health event. That’s not tragic enough. I think it should be an infliction like he has done to others in the United States and around the world. From a distance. Publicly. While maybe he’s on stage at a rally or a press conference or whatever the case may be… Publicly. And televised. Because I think in a situation like this, there won’t be very many people crying. In fact, I think the majority will be cheering. I know I will be cheering.”
“So karma’s a bitch, and I think that that is how this should go down. I don’t think it should be peaceful, compassionate, quick and easy—well, maybe quick and easy, but not in a health event way. That’s how I feel. And I’m not sorry about it. I’m sure there are millions of you out there who feel the exact same way.”
The deranged clip sparked massive backlash, with conservatives rightly calling out the hate and demanding accountability from a taxpayer-funded Catholic school board that employs someone working around kids.
After the exposure, the board followed its internal procedures and terminated her employment.
DiFilippo-Kiley later tried walking it back, claiming “this is not who I am” and saying she felt terrible. Too little, too late. Actions have consequences, especially when you’re openly cheering political violence against a sitting president.
This is the toxic mindset infecting too many on the left: wishing graphic death on their opponents while hiding behind “karma.” Good riddance to another radical exposed and removed.
China warns U.S. over planned ammunition production in the Philippines
China has warned the United States against bringing “conflict and instability” into the Asia-Pacific, following reports of a proposed ammunition production facility in the Philippines under a 16-nation defense cooperation framework.
Beijing criticized the move as a threat to regional stability, cautioning that countries hosting such facilities risk becoming strategic flashpoints in future conflicts.
The warning comes amid ongoing tensions in the South China Sea, where overlapping territorial claims continue to strain relations between China and the Philippines.
Senate Democrats block Republican voter ID amendment, calling it a wolf in sheep’s clothing
Senate Democrats voted Thursday to defeat a Republican-backed amendment that would have required voters to show photo ID when casting ballots in person or by mail, blocking the measure 52-47 despite needing 60 votes to advance.
The amendment was sponsored by Sen. Jon Husted (R-OH), Ohio’s former secretary of state, and was introduced as a standalone piece of the broader Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE America) Act currently before the Senate. Husted framed his proposal as a simple, clean requirement allowing voters to present a driver’s license, state ID, passport, military veterans ID, or tribal ID.
Not a single Democrat crossed the aisle to support it.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, who had said earlier this month that Democrats support voter ID requirements, took to the floor to draw a sharp distinction between what his party has previously supported and what Republicans were now pushing. “Republicans have an amendment on the floor dressed up as common-sense voter ID,” Schumer said. “This is a wolf in sheep’s clothing, and it’s a giant cover-up, which is voter suppression, kicking people off the rolls without their knowledge or consent.”
Schumer argued his central objection was not to voter ID itself but to a provision requiring mail-in voters to include a photocopy of their ID inside their ballot envelope, which he said would expose how a voter voted to election officials and shatter ballot secrecy. “The sacred secrecy of our ballot would be undone by this amendment,” Schumer said.
Husted pushed back, calling Schumer’s characterization a misrepresentation and pointing out that his amendment was narrowly drafted to address only photo ID requirements, not the broader SAVE Act provisions involving proof of citizenship documentation like birth certificates and passports.
Democrats have drawn a firm line between their own Freedom to Vote Act, which included a voter ID provision with broader accessibility protections, and the Republican version, which they argue is engineered to suppress turnout ahead of the midterms.
BREAKING: Rep. Beatty asks federal judge to strip Trump’s name off the Kennedy Center
Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio) has taken the fight over the Kennedy Center to federal court, asking a judge to block the renaming of one of America’s most iconic cultural institutions after Donald Trump.
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Beatty, who serves as an ex officio member of the Kennedy Center’s board of trustees, filed a motion for partial summary judgment arguing that Congress explicitly and permanently designated the center as a memorial to President John F. Kennedy, and that no board, no matter who appointed its members, has the legal authority to change that.
“There is no clearer or more significant breach of fiduciary duty than the Board flouting the central purpose of the institution it is charged with protecting and which Congress enshrined into law: to maintain the Center as a memorial to John F. Kennedy, and to no one else,” her attorneys wrote.
Beatty first sued Trump and other board members in December after the Trump-appointed board voted to rebrand the institution and update its exterior signage to include Trump’s name above Kennedy’s. Her legal team has since argued that the board has failed to offer any coherent legal justification for what they describe as nakedly unlawful conduct.
The statute that created the Kennedy Center is unambiguous, her lawyers contend. It directs the board to construct a building “designated as the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts” and bars trustees from installing additional memorials or plaques in public areas, with only three narrow exceptions, none of which cover slapping a sitting president’s name on the building’s facade.
Beatty is also fighting Trump’s separate plan to shut the Kennedy Center down entirely for two years for what the administration has called a complete rebuild. A federal judge earlier this month allowed her to participate in the board meeting where that plan was formalized, though the court stopped short of granting her a vote on the proposed closure.
Trump confirms Beijing visit for summit with Xi in mid-May
U.S. President Donald Trump has confirmed plans to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing in mid-May, following a delay linked to ongoing military operations in the Middle East.
The rescheduled summit, now set for May 14–15, is expected to focus on stabilizing trade relations and broader strategic issues between the two powers.
Officials from both sides are finalizing preparations, with the meeting described as a key diplomatic moment amid shifting global tensions.
Breaking News : Israel Strikes Hormuz Command Structure, IRGC Navy Chief Reportedly Unalived in Precision Hit
Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri, the commander of the naval forces of the Isl∆mic Revolutiona∆ry Gu∆rd Corps (IRGC), has reportedly been unalived in a high-impact Israeli airstrike near Bandar Abbas, a critical port city overlooking the Strait of Hormuz.
According to multiple credible international reports, including confirmation from United States officials, the strike was aimed directly at Tangsiri due to his strategic role in overseeing IRGC naval operations in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the most vital maritime chokepoints for global oil shipments.
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Israeli officials state that Tangsiri was a key figure in Iran’s naval posture in the region, including operational planning tied to potential disruption of maritime traffic through the Strait. The targeting of such a senior commander in Bandar Abbas signals a major escalation, as the location serves as a central hub for Iran’s naval deployment in the Persian Gulf.
However, Iranian authorities have not yet officially confirmed his death, leaving certain operational details surrounding the strike unverified at this stage.
The Strait of Hormuz remains central to global energy security, and any developments involving its control continue to carry immediate international implications. The reported unaliving of Iran’s top IRGC naval commander is likely to intensify already heightened regional tensions.
U.S. says USS Abraham Lincoln operating normally after Iran missile claims
U.S. Central Command has confirmed that the USS Abraham Lincoln remains fully operational and continues its missions in the region, dismissing Iranian claims of missile strikes as inaccurate.
The statement follows repeated assertions by Iran’s IRGC that it targeted the carrier group, claims that Washington has consistently rejected.
Officials say the carrier remains active in ongoing operations, underscoring continued military presence despite escalating rhetoric between both sides.
Hezbollah rejects talks, says negotiations now would mean “surrender”
Hezbollah has dismissed all calls for negotiations, stating that engaging in talks under current conditions would amount to yielding to Israeli pressure amid ongoing strikes in Lebanon.
The group reaffirmed its position to continue operations in support of Gaza, insisting any ceasefire depends on Israel fully ending its campaign there.
The stance signals a hardline shift, with analysts warning it could further limit diplomatic options and increase the risk of broader regional escalation.
Australia imposes temporary entry ban on Iranian passport holders
Australia has announced a six-month suspension on entry for Iranian passport holders, citing increased risks linked to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Officials say the measure is aimed at preventing overstays from short-term visa holders, though exemptions will apply in limited cases, including close family members of Australian citizens.
The move comes amid heightened security and migration concerns, as authorities balance humanitarian considerations with domestic policy controls.
Israel Takes Out Iran’s Top Navy Boss Behind Hormuz Blockade
Israeli forces struck hard and precise, eliminating Alireza Tangsiri, the IRGC Navy commander who masterminded the mining and shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz.
Tangsiri, the man directly responsible for choking off one-fifth of the world’s oil supply with mines and swarm boats, was hit in an airstrike on the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed the kill, calling it payback for the terror operation that has spiked global energy prices and disrupted trade for weeks.
This is the latest in Israel’s relentless campaign to dismantle Iran’s terror network from the top down. With senior IRGC figures falling one by one, Tehran’s asymmetric naval threats are taking a beating.
Macky 2 was picked for attending meeting he wasn’t supposed to be at – Police
POLICE on the Copperbelt say rapper and aspiring Nchanga member of parliament Mulaza Kaira popularly known as Macky 2, was picked for attending a meeting he was not supposed to be part of in Chingola.
According to the Province’s police commanding officer Mwala Yuyi, officers acted after receiving a tip that a cooperative meeting in Kabundi South had included Kaira as a speaker, contrary to what was indicated in the approved notification.
Yuyi explained to #Kalemba that the meeting had been cleared as a non-political gathering for ex-miners turned farmers, but the inclusion of Kaira changed its nature into a political one without proper authorisation under the Public Order Act.
He said police moved in to stop the meeting and picked Kaira together with the cooperative leadership to explain the situation to them.
“The meeting was now perceived as a political one contrary to what was in the notification. At this stage the officers took a good number of participants to that meeting including Mr. Mulaza Kaira and the leadership of that cooperative,” Yuyi said.
Yesterday, social media was awash with speculation after the influential rapper posted on his page that he had been arrested in Chingola.
However, the Copperbelt Police boss clarified that the meeting had been approved based on information that did not include Kaira, noting that he was neither an ex-miner nor a farmer as indicated in the purpose of the gathering.
He stated that police were simply enforcing the law and ensuring that public meetings follow the required procedures.
Meanwhile, the crowd of about 100 to 200 people that had gathered at Amari Gardens dispersed peacefully after the disruption, with no injuries recorded.
Kaira was later released yesterday after being verbally warned.
Why Hakainde Hichilema Is Set to Crush the Ballot and Storm Into 2027 With a Landslide
By Abuild Mubanga
It is no longer a speculative debate about whether President Hakainde Hichilema will secure victory in the forthcoming elections. The national conversation has decisively shifted to the magnitude of the mandate he is likely to command. Across Zambia, the political atmosphere is increasingly shaped by a growing conviction that performance driven governance is setting the stage for an emphatic and historic electoral outcome for the United Party for National Development.
The current administration has deliberately grounded its legitimacy in delivery. Economic stabilisation measures, though implemented amid global volatility and inherited fiscal strain, are steadily restoring confidence in national direction. The currency environment, investor sentiment, and overall macroeconomic management are beginning to reflect disciplined stewardship. For many citizens, this represents a decisive departure from periods of uncertainty and policy inconsistency that once clouded the country’s prospects.
Beyond macroeconomic indicators, the administration’s focus on social transformation has created a powerful emotional and political resonance among voters. Expanded access to education has kept thousands of children in school, reducing vulnerability and restoring hope in communities that had long felt marginalised. This practical intervention has elevated governance from abstract policy to lived reality. Families are increasingly interpreting these changes as evidence of a government that recognises their struggles and is prepared to act decisively.
Youth and women empowerment initiatives have further reshaped the political terrain. By integrating these constituencies into national productivity strategies, the administration has cultivated a sense of ownership in the country’s economic recovery process. Emerging entrepreneurs, small scale traders, and cooperative ventures are gradually experiencing a more predictable operating climate. This evolving environment is strengthening the perception that Zambia is entering a phase of structured growth anchored on inclusivity and accountability.
Politically, the ruling party’s mobilisation machinery is consolidating momentum at grassroots level. Organisational cohesion, coupled with messaging that emphasises national rebuilding and integrity in public service, is steadily eroding opposition influence in regions once considered politically impenetrable. The electoral contest is therefore transforming into a referendum on tangible governance outcomes rather than ideological rhetoric.
Should current trends continue, the forthcoming elections may deliver not merely victory but a thunderous landslide that redefines Zambia’s political landscape. Such an outcome would signal a collective endorsement of reform oriented leadership and a decisive public rejection of governance models perceived to have failed the nation in the past.
In this unfolding scenario, President Hakainde Hichilema stands positioned to secure a mandate of historic proportions. The electorate, increasingly pragmatic and performance conscious, appears ready to reward what it interprets as stability, measured progress, and credible national stewardship. A crushing triumph at the polls would therefore symbolise more than partisan success. It would mark the consolidation of a new political epoch shaped by resilience, reform, and a renewed national ambition to secure prosperity for future generations.
🇿🇲 BRIEFING | Chipata, Kitwe Mayors Defect to UPND as Ruling Party Gains Local Ground
The United Party for National Development (UPND) has recorded fresh political gains at local government level following the defection of Chipata Mayor George Mwanza and Kitwe Mayor Mpasa Mwaya.
PF’s Mwaya has publicly declared her support for President Hakainde Hichilema ahead of the 2026 general elections, signalling a shift in allegiance from the former ruling party to the governing side. Her move comes at a time when PF continues to grapple with internal divisions and unresolved leadership disputes.
The defection of sitting mayors carries political weight beyond symbolism. Local authorities remain critical in shaping grassroots mobilisation, community messaging and electoral influence, particularly in regions where PF has historically maintained support.
These developments suggest a gradual reconfiguration of political loyalties at sub-national level, with the ruling party consolidating its position while the opposition struggles to maintain cohesion.
With the election calendar tightening, such movements are likely to intensify, raising further questions about PF’s organisational strength and its ability to retain key figures across strategic regions.
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Does Brebner Changala have to die for the court to believe that he is unwell? How Magistrate Davies Chibwili is giving Zambia’s judiciary a bad name
…the magistrate is acting like a hired gun in a hurry to convict and send Changala to prison
By Sishuwa Sishuwa
The conduct of Lusaka Chief Resident Magistrate Davies Chibwili in the case involving the State versus prominent civil rights activist Brebner Changala is giving the judiciary a bad name. Within the last one week, Chibwili has made several strange decisions that undermine judicial integrity and make him appear like a hired gun who is in a hurry to convict and send Changala to prison for the ‘crime’ of claiming and exercising his constitutionally protected human rights. Six of these strange decisions stand out.
The first is magistrate Chibwili’s decision to issue a court order on 20 March 2026 but backdate it to 24 February, which indicates an attempt to cheat or that the Magistrate had intentionally concealed the ruling for almost a month, which adversely affected Changala’s right to challenge it in a superior court. The second is Chibwili’s decision to unilaterally set up trial dates without consulting Changala or his legal team, an action that makes the magistrate appear like a hostile prosecutor. The third is Chibwili’s decision to squeeze the trial period into three days this week – Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday – which deprives the accused of sufficient time to organise witnesses and prepare his defence. If justice delayed is justice denied, justice rushed is an injustice.
The fourth is Chibwili’s refusal to recuse himself from deciding a case in which the has become an adversary to the accused after Changala sued him in a superior court over his decision-making in the same matter. The fifth decision is Chibwili’s insistence that he would proceed to hear the case that is simultaneously before the High Court. A matter cannot be heard in two separate courts at the same time. As a rule, and a matter of decorum and respect for the hierarchy of the court system, most magistrates stay proceedings before them pending the determination of the same matter in instances where such matters are also subject of proceedings before the superior courts.
The sixth one is Chibwili’s impatience to hear the matter, expressed by the magistrate’s decision to summon to his court the qualified and competent medical doctor who examined, diagnosed, and certified Changala as too sick to stand trial. To better understand these points and Chibwili’s centrality in them, it is important to locate them within a historical context that traces the sequence of events in the Changala case.
Changala was arrested on 27 May 2024 over comments he made in response to the abduction of then Petauke independent member of parliament Emmanuel Jay Banda, whose car was found abandoned in Lusaka’s Ibex area. In an interview with Diamond TV journalist Darius Choonya on 25 May, Changala accused the State of possible involvement in the disappearance of the lawmaker – a claim that proved hard to dismiss two days later when Banda, after he was discovered, badly beaten, 43 km south of the capital, revealed that he had been abducted and left for dead by several assailants who included two of President Hakainde Hichilema’s aides, spokesperson Clayson Hamasaka and political advisor Levy Ngoma. To avoid misrepresenting what Changala said, it is worth quoting his interview remarks at length.
“I have picked up some information that Jay Jay made the last phone call around 1am. When he was coming, he noticed that people were following him. So, from this road, he made a turn into Bauleni where he made a U-turn. And according to the information, when he wa joining this road once again, it (the car) was stopped, and it stayed there until 4am. This information is from the tracking divide because this vehicle is installed with tracing device. It is very clear that this kind of behavior can only be done by state sponsored criminals. And this is a direct accusation.”
Changala continued: “In recent days, we have seen that this government has become intolerant, where it has moved the state and the state machinery to assault the very citizens they are supposed to protect, the very citizen that gave them the mandate to govern and govern within the boundaries of the law. I am seeing an emerging trend of state sponsored anarchy, if not state sponsored terrorism. Let us monitor the situation as hours start building. As I tell you, Jay Jay has been missing from 1am, according to a tracking system. And this is 10:30, which means almost ten hours ago. And there is no information as to whether he is alive or in custody elsewhere. I call upon the police who are there to maintain law and order, not to be the law onto themselves, to up their game. Look for this individual and bring him back to the family and the people that he represents. We are not going to sit idly.”
The above are the comments that landed Changala in trouble. After the video clip of the interview with Diamond TV went viral on social media, a ruling party supporter, Bill Kapinga, went to Kabwata police station to report the civil rights activist, saying his remarks constituted an attempt to incite public disaffection against the government. Kapinga found a police officer named Malumbe Moono whom he caused to watch the clip on a Facebook page. Moono then proceeded to summon Changala before arresting and charging him with sedition for what he termed as remarks that “could bring hatred or incite disaffection against the government as by law established.”
The police then refused to grant Changala bail or take him to court. He was kept in detention for over a week in a 16 square meter cell with 34 other people, forced to sleep in the space reserved for the toilet, and subjected to other degrading treatment. Changala was only released on 4 June 2024 when, following his application for habeas corpus, Lusaka High Court judge Geoffrey Mulenga granted him bail in his own recognizance and ordered the state to release him.
Changala’s case in the Magistrate’s Court was subsequently allocated to Chibwili, who found him with a case to answer in September 2024. Changala then sued the state in the High Court, arguing that the law of sedition is unconstitutional, archaic, undermines free speech and should have no place in a constitutional democracy. He also asked the High Court to stay the criminal proceedings against him in the lower court, pending the determination of his petition. When the High Court refused to do so, he renewed his application for a stay before the Court of Appeal where Catherine Makungu granted it in November 2024.
“Upon hearing Counsel for the petitioner and Counsel for the respondent and in the interest of safeguarding both parties, it is hereby ordered and directed that the criminal proceedings in the Subordinate Court wherein the petitioner stands charged with the offence of Sedition and is appearing before Honourable Mr. Chibwili be and are hereby forthwith stayed and/or arrested pending determination of the Attorney General’s application to raise preliminary issues,” read Mukungu’s ruling in part.
Changala then spent much of the year 2025 appearing in the High Court over the substantive matter in which he is challenging the constitutionality of the law on sedition. Owing to Zambia’s clogged court system, the case has taken long to be decided. By January this year, hearing in the matter was continuing. This delay has unsettled the State especially since Changala has continued to be an outspoken critic of the governance excesses of the Hichilema administration. Since the start of this year, several ruling party functionaries have made public statements that show a high drive to remove Changala from circulation before the forthcoming general election.
In the context of this wider and highly charged political climate, justice Makungu discharged in February this year the stay that she had earlier granted to Changala on the ground that he should have appealed to the Supreme Court, as the Court of Appeal has no jurisdiction to hear cases relating to the Bill of Rights. Then, a day or two later, on 24 February, Magistrate Chibwili resurrected the case and moved to set up dates for mention and commencement of trial – 23 to 26 March.
In response, Changala’s lawyers proposed that the trial dates be set for May because of several commitments in the High Court in March and April including a constitutional challenge relating to the same case and an elective conference. Magistrate Chibwili rejected the proposal and ordered Changala to open his defense on 23 March. After the accused indicated that he would challenge the order once he receives its formal version, the magistrate sat on the written ruling until last week Friday, 20 March, when he finally availed it to Changala in the late afternoon.
Although he issued the order only hours before the weekend preceding the commencement of trial, Chibwili backdated it to 24 February. This action indicates that the magistrate either had a written ruling the same day he made the verbal order or only wrote it on 20 March but backdated it to almost a month earlier. Whatever the case, the objective appears to have been the same: to leave no ample time for Changala to adequately prepare for his defence or give fresh instructions to his lawyers such as challenging the ruling in the High Court before the commencement of trial.
On Sunday, 22 March, a day before trial was due to start, Changala, unhappy with the conduct of the magistrate, filed an urgent application in the High Court, seeking leave to commence judicial review against the legality and reasonableness of Chibwili’s decision to carry on with the criminal proceedings when the law that creates the offense of sedition is subject of a constitutional challenge in a superior court. He argued that unless the trial in the lower case was suspended, his main case in the High Court risks being rendered an academic exercise should the magistrate convict him on a law that may later be declared unconstitutional.
The following day, on 23 March, the High Court set the next Monday, 30 May, as the date for interparty hearing between Changala and Chibwili. Instead of having the matter reallocated to another magistrate after court documents were served on him, which meant that he was now a party to the proceedings, Chibwili sat on Tuesday, 24 March and made two rulings. The Chief Resident Magistrate refused to recuse himself from the case and decided that he will proceed to hear and determine it even if Changala has sued him in the High Court. In so doing, Chibwili overlooked the hierarchical structure of the court or judicial system in Zambia as enshrined in the Constitution and further ignored a basic principle of natural justice that one cannot be a judge in their own cause.
Then, without consulting the accused’s lawyers, Chibwili proceeded to set up 25, 26, and 27 March as the trial dates, promising to render judgement soon afterwards. In doing so, the magistrate made it appear like he was eager to hear and determine the matter within the few days that are remaining before the case in which Changala has sued him comes up in the High Court on 30 March. Chibwili also effectively assumed the role of a prosecutor and overlooked the judicial principle that speedy trials may lead to injustice. This is because a rushed trial may undermine an accused person’s fundamental rights such as the right to be afforded a fair hearing within a reasonable time by an independent and impartial court established by law and to be given adequate time and facilities for the preparation of one’s defence.
Perhaps shocked by all these developments in a single day, Changala fell ill while he was in Chibwili’s court on Tuesday and his condition got worse afterwards. He was then rushed to a nearest government hospital where a competent and qualified medical doctor diagnosed him with a medical condition and gave him seven days of sick leave. On Wednesday, when his trial was due to commence, Changala lay in bed sick. His nephew, Ephraim Mwiza, appeared before Magistrate Chibwili, whom he informed of Changala’s illness.
Mwiza presented the sick note to the court as the accompanying proof. Instead of accepting the medical record, Chibwili ordered the doctor who issued the sick note to appear before him on Thursday, at 09:00. Again, this conduct on the part of magistrate Chibwili is totally unnecessary and suggest hostility towards the accused. Does Changala have to die for Chibwili to believe that the civil rights activist is unwell?
Zambians have not forgotten how late opposition Forum for Democracy Development leader Edith Nawakwi was treated when she was appearing before the Lusaka Magistrate’s Court on sedition charge. After she informed the court that she was sick and presented medical notes as supporting evidence, the State started summoning doctors who had issued them and even applied to have her tried while she was lying in bed, ill. It was not until she died that those who doubted her illness believed that she was genuinely sick. Why is Chibwili behaving the same way? Why does he appear to be so desperate to try Changala to a point where he is now starting to harass medical professionals? And why is Chibwili clinging onto this specific case as though he is the only magistrate in Lusaka?
The unpleasant conduct of Chibwili reminds me of David Simusamba, a magistrate under the previous administration whose own deplorable conduct later cost him his job on the bench. Unless his promotion to superior courts is dependent on convicting and jailing Changala before Zambia’s August election, I appeal to Chibwili to recuse himself from this case. He has become too involved in the matter to decide it impartially.
WE’RE ONE ZAMBIA ALLIANCE UNVEILS EXECUTIVE, NAMES SIMBAO AS PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE
By Victoria Kayeye Yambani
The We’re One Zambia Alliance has officially unveiled its executive leadership following a series of consultations and internal processes aimed at strengthening unity within the alliance.
The newly introduced team includes Secretary General Muhabi Lungu, Running Mate Yusuf Dodia, and Presidential Candidate Kapembwa Simbao, marking a significant step as the alliance positions itself ahead of the general elections.
Stephen Munsanje is the Alliance’s Youth Chairperson person while Bishop Trevor Mwamba is the Alliance’s Deputy Chairperson.
Alliance Chairperson Sakwiba Sikota says the leadership selection process was anchored on unity, mutual respect, and collective purpose.
He has explained that members deliberately set aside personal ambitions during a recent convention and subsequent retreats held , where they openly engaged each other to build trust and cohesion.
Mr Sikota adds that participants were urged to leave their egos behind, a call he said was embraced by many, resulting in a united front rather than a group of competing individuals.
He further says that the process fostered a strong sense of satisfaction among members, as they committed to supporting one another instead of pursuing individual interests.
