The JUDICIARY ATTACKS SISHUWA
He writes…
Last week, I asked “Why are all the court cases – three in the Lusaka High Court, one in the Constitutional Court – involving the State-supported Miles Sampa versus the main opposition Patriotic Front only given to Lozi-speaking judges?”
This week, “The Judiciary of Zambia” issued a rare press statement in response to my post (see attached), branding the questions I posed as ‘careless and baseless statements’ that ‘undermine the judiciary…jeopardize the integrity of the legal system and have a direct effect on investor confidence.’
I can ignore the effort when it is ruling party-aligned intellectuals and civil society actors who attempt to discredit my name. This is because I do understand – and I am even sympathetic to – the primary impulses that are causing individuals including those in academia and civil society today to betray public interest and identify themselves with the ruling elite. In an impoverished country like Zambia where the state is the dominant employer, the ability to stay alive requires association with the government of the moment. The price of dissenting, of challenging the government, of being in the minority, is very high. I know this from personal experience under this administration and previous governments. I do not accept it, however, when this role of attacking government critics is taken up by “The Judiciary of Zambia”, which according to the Constitution of Zambia, consists of the Supreme Court, Constitutional Court, Court of Appeal, High Court, subordinate courts, small claims courts, local courts, and any other courts as prescribed by Parliament.
I feel aggrieved that the judiciary is tarnishing my reputation, insulting my integrity, and questioning my capacity to decide what is careless and baseless. Now since the “The Judiciary of Zambia” has already pronounced itself on this matter, where do I go to get justice?
Look out for my in-depth paragraph-by-paragraph response to the response from “The Judiciary of Zambia”.
