PATRIOTIC FRONT VICE PRESIDENT, HON. GIVEN LUBINDA ADDRESSES THE PRESS

PATRIOTIC FRONT VICE PRESIDENT, HON. GIVEN LUBINDA ADDRESSES THE PRESS

Lusaka- Monday, 8th July 2024

● Offers heartfelt condolences to the family of former Chief Justice, Hon. Annel Musenga Silungwe, who was being put to rest today.

● Hon. Given Lubinda urges members of the Party to turn up in large numbers tomorrow, Tuesday, 9th July 2024, as the Constitutional Court delivers its ruling on a preliminary matter where a Mr. Michelo Chizombe is challenging the eligibility of former President Edgar Lungu to stand as a presidential candidate in 2021 and in future elections. The court is expected to determine whether the preliminary matter raised about the case being heard several matters or it would be dismissed or referred to a full trial.

● Expresses concern at pressure being applied to democratic institutions such as Parliament the Zambia Police, Electoral Commission of Zambia and the Judiciary.

● Congratulates the Reformed Church in Zambia on the occassion of its 125th Anniversary.

● Recognises the offer by President Hakainde Hichilema to meet President Edgar Lungu. Urges President Hichilema to use the opportunity to involve the former president to resolve multiple challenges and crises facing the country. Urges President Hichilema not to squander the opportunity by playing to the gallery.

Below is the full statement.

STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE PATRIOTIC FRONT VICE PRESIDENT, HON. GIVEN LUBINDA

8TH JULY 2024

GOODAFTERNOON FELLOW ZAMBIANS

WE HAVE COME TO YOU AT SHORT NOTICE FOR A GOOD REASON
WE WISH TO PASS OUR HEARTFELT CONDOLONCES TO THE FAMILY OF FORMER CHIEF JUSTICE, HON. ANNEL SILUNGWE WHO PASSED AWAY ON 30TH JUNE 2024 AND WAS BEING OUT TO REST.

HON SILUNGWE ENJOYED AN ILLUSTRIOUS CAREER LOCALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY. HE WILL BE REMEMBERED FOR HIS GREAT CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE LEGAL FRATERNITY AND DEVELOPMENT OF OUR COUNTRY, ESPECIALLY IN ZAMBIA AND NAMIBIA
MAY HIS SOUL REST IN ETERNAL PEACE.

TODAY, THE CASE OF FORMER PRESIDENT, DR. EDGAR CHAGWA LUNGU WHERE A MR. MICHELO CHIZOMBE WANTS A DUBIOUS DECLARATION THAT PRESIDENT EDGAR LUNGU WAS NOT ELIGIBLE TO CONTEST THE 2021 AND FUTURE ELECTIONS, WAS EXPECTED TO TAKE OFF.
HOWEVER THE MATTER WAS DEFERRED TO TOMMORROW, 9TH JULY 2024, BECAUSE OF THE NATIONAL MOURNING OF HON SILUNGWE.

I WISH TO THANK ALL THOSE THAT TURNED UP TODAY FOR THEIR SUPPORT FOR PRESIDENT EDGAR LUNGU.

I ALSO CALL UPON ALL OF US TO TURN UP TOMORROW FOR THIS IMPORTANT COURT RULING.

AS MANY ZAMBIANS ARE AWARE, THIS MATTER HAS ALREADY BEEN DEALT WITH BY OUR COURTS FOUR TIMES.

PRESIDENT ECL LAWYERS ARGUED BEFORE THE COURT THAT IT IS THE HALLMARK OF EVERY RELIABLE JUDICIAL SYSTEM TO REMAIN CONSISTENT, PREDICTABLE, RELIABLE AND LAWFUL. THEREFORE IT REMAINS FUTILE TO BRING THE SAME MATTER THAT HAS BEEN SETTLED WITH FINALITY, BEFORE THE SAME COURT.

WE THEREFORE CALL UPON THE CITIZENS OF ZAMBIA TO SHOW PUBLIC SUPPORT IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE CONSTITUTION AND WITH THE INTEGRITY OF THE JUDICIARY.

YESTERDAY THE COUNTRY WAS ONCE AGAIN TREATED TO THREATS BY THE UPND GOVERNMENT THROUGH THE MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS AND INTERNAL SECUIRTY. HE THREATENED CITIZENS WITH ARRESTS IF THEY APPEARED AT COURT TODAY IN SOLIDARITY WITH PRESIDENT EDGAR CHAGWA LUNGU. HE TOLD THE COUNTRY THAT HE HAD INFORMATION ABOUT PEOPLE WHO WERE PLANNING SUBVERSIVE ACTIVITIES AT COURT. WE WONDER WHY HE HAS NOT GONE FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS INSTEAD OF CURTAILING THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT OF MOVEMENT OF THE PEOPLE AND THEIR LIBERTY TO ATTEND COURT PROCEEDINGS.

WHY IS THE EXECUTIVE JITTERY ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR MATTER? THIS IS BY FAR NOT THE ONLY HIGH PROFILE MATTER TO GRACE OUR COURTS. THERE HAS BEEN OTHER HIGH PROFILE MATTERS IN PAST SOME INVOLVING FORMER PRESIDENTS AND YET THE PUBLIC WAS NOT RESTRAINED FROM ATTENDING THEIR PROCEEDINGS. HOW MANY TIMES DID THE THEN LEADER OF THE THEN OPPOSITION UPND, HAKAINDE HICHILEMA APPEAR IN COURT WITH A MULTITUDE OF SUPPORTERS WITHOUT BEING STOPPED BY THE STATE? WHY HAS IT BECOME DIFFERENT NOW. COURT PROCEEDINGS ARE PUBLIC AND IT IS NOT IN THE POWER OF THE MINISTER NOR THE PRESIDENT TO INTEFERE IN THE JUDICIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS OF THE COURTS.

WE WONDER WHETHER THE EXECUTIVE ARE ALREADY AWARE OF THE RULING OF THE COURT EVEN BEFORE IT IS DELIVERED? SHOULD WE BE MADE TO WONDER WHETHER THE JUDICIARY IS TURNING INTO WHAT PARLIAMENT HAS BECOME – AN INSTITUTION THAT IS OPERATING UNDER THE WHIMS OF THE EXECUTIVE.

WE ALSO WISH TO EXPRESS CONCERN AT MATTERS SURROUNDING THE RULING DELIVERED BY THE CONSTITUTIONAL COURT REGARDING THE NINE MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT.

THE COURT DID NOT IN ANY WAY PRONOUNCE ITSELF ON THE EXPULSION OF THE NINE MPS AS IS REQUIRED BY ARTICLE 72. IN CLEAR TERMS THE COURT DID NOT NULLIFY THE SEATS.
THEREFORE THERE IS NO LEGAL JUSTIFICATION TO DECLARE THE SEATS VACANT BY PARLIAMENT. THAT ACTION IS A BLATANT ERROSION OF DEMOCRACY AND IS LAWLESSNESS OF THE HIGHEST ORDER .

THIS IS THEREFORE UTTER MISCHIEF BY THE SPEAKER OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY.

IT IS THEREFORE UNCONSTITUTIONAL AND IMPEACHABLE OFFENCE TO NULIFY THE SEATS.

ANOTHER MATTER OF CONCERN IS THE STATEMENT MADE BY PRESIDENT HAKAINDE HICHILEMA AT THE 125 YEARS OF EXISTENCE OF THE REFORMED CHURCH IN ZAMBIA.

Mr. HICHILEMA ANNOUNCED THAT HE WILL BE REACHING OUT TO MEET ZAMBIA’S SIXTH PRESIDENT, EDGAR LUNGU.

MANY ZAMBIANS HAVE BEEN FRUSTRATED BY MR HICHILAMA’S INABILITY TO MEET WITH HIS PREDECESSOR OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS. IT DID NOT HAVE TO TAKE THE CLERGY TO REQUEST HIM TO DIALOGUE WITH THE FORMER PRESIDENT.

AS FAR AS WE KNOW MR HAKAINDE HICHILEMA THIS PRONOUNCEMENT WAS MEANT FOR THE GALARY LIKE MANY OTHER HYPOCRITICAL PRONOUNCEMENTS HE HAS MADE IN THE PAST.

AS HE CONFRONTS HIS PRONOUNCEMENT ABOUT MEETING ECL, WE IMPLORE MR HAKAINDE TO ADDRESS THE NUMEROUS CHALLENGES THAT HE HAS INFLICTED ON THE PEOPLE OF ZAMBIA SUCH AS:

1. THE WORST COST OF LIVING CRISIS IN DECADES.
2. THE ECONOMY IS FACING POSSIBLE COLLAPSE WITH RISING INFLATION, DEBT AND A CRITICAL LACK OF MONEY IN CIRCULATION.
3. FOOD INSECURITY THAT HAS SEEN 6.8 MILLION FACING STARVATION DUE TO POOR AGRICULTURE POLICIES AND THE EXPORT OF OF THE NATIONAL STRATEGIC MAIZE RESERVES.
4. THE WORST LOAD-SHEDDING EXPERIENCED IN DECADES.
5. DISEASE OUTBREAKS LIKE CHOLERA, ANTHRAX, TYPHOID, DYSENTERY AND SYPHILIS.
   THESE CRISES ARE SITING ON A BED OF ISSUES SUCH AS POVERTY, UNEMPLOYMENT, LACK OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES AND RURAL UNDER DEVELOPMENT.

MR. HICHILEMA HAS NOT DEMONSTRATED KEENESS TO RESOLVE THESE ISSUES. HAD HE CONSULTED WITH HIS PREDECESSOR AND RESPECTED PREVIOUS GOVERNMENTS FOR WHAT THEY HAD DONE FOR ZAMBIA, HE COULD NOT HAVE CAUSED ALL THESE CHALLENGES THAT ZAMBIANS ARE FACING TODAY.

IN CONCLUSION, I WISH TO ONCE AGAIN IMPLORE ALL OF US TO TURN UP AT COURT TOMORROW.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION