UPND WANTS TO CAUSE A BY-ELECTION IN KAWAMBWA – MUNDUBILE
LEADER of opposition in Parliament Brian Mundubile says the UPND wants to cause a by-election in Kawambwa, hence the persecution, petitions and unfair treatment of Nickson Chilangwa.
And Kawambwa Central PF constituency chairperson Chewe Swali says Chilangwa is the people’s desired representative and he is still in full control.
On Saturday, Chilangwa handed himself over to the police after being in hiding since May when a bench warrant was issued against him for missing several court appearances in a matter in which he and six others are charged with arson, threatening violence, malicious damage to property, and four counts of assault.
And on Friday last week, Speaker of the National Assembly Nelly Mutti informed the House that she had constituted a select committee to look into a petition she had received from a resident of Kawambwa who was requesting the House to inquire into the unexplained absence of Chilangwa from the parliamentary sittings since the resumption of meetings on June 6, 2023.
Commenting on this in an interview, Mundubile charged that UPND was bent on forcing a by-election in Kawambwa.
“It is very clear that the UPND want to cause a by-election in Kawambwa but the law is also very clear, but of course the UPND will try everything possible to disrespect the constitution, to disrespect the law, but we will stick to the law and fight their intentions using the same law.
The law is clear, you can’t change the law on Chilangwa because you don’t like him. The UPND would like to do a short cut like what they did in Kabushi and Kwacha to violate the constitution and force a by election but we will resist it, it cannot continue. Honorable Chilangwa is a Zambian who is supposed to enjoy his full rights and he must be treated according to the law,” he said.
Mundubile charged that Chilangwa was being persecuted and unfairly treated.
“Comrade Chilangwa is being persecuted, he has not been treated fairly at all…What we know is that there was a process which was started as provided for in the standing orders that when a member does not report for four consecutive days without cause, he’s reported to the committee of privileges, and that report was made to the committee of privileges where I am a member. What is expected is that Comrade Chilangwa should be given an opportunity to explain his absence and that is what we are waiting for,” said Mundubile.
“So the other committee which was set up in my view is not what is provided for under standing orders because he can’t be summoned before two different committees on the same matter. So what we are waiting for is for Comrade Chilangwa to avail himself before our committee and our committee will ask him why he has been missing parliament and he will explain. I have put it on record that personally, I delivered an application for leave as required to the government chief whip so all these things are what Comrade Chilangwa will bring to the absences and privileges committee”.
And Swali described the petition which the Speaker relied on as fake saying it did not represent the desires of the people of Kawambwa.
“There are some people from this constituency who have petitioned; the losing candidate for UPND has petitioned but let him know that he does not represent the people of Kawambwa. He is a loser and he will remain a loser forever. That petition was not supported by the people of Kawambwa, we have got the right to present our petition as a people from Kawambwa and very soon we shall do it. So that petition which went to Parliament has got nothing to do with the desires of the people of Kawambwa. The signatures on that petition are for his wife, his brothers and his children. It is a very fake petition coming from a loser. We are still organising and preparing ourselves for our petition, the petition of the people from Kawambwa and we shall do it soon,” said Swali.
“Inform the whole world that we have got our own MP, Nickson Chilangwa, he is our MP for Kawambwa and he is still alive and kicking. We have our MP and he is still in full control of the constituency and we will rally behind him through all that is happening.”
Swali also disclosed that he had been with Chilangwa all along but couldn’t mention where.
(Credit: News Diggers)