PF takes MPs case to High Court

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Zambia court or arms
Zambia court or arms

THE Patriotic Front will take the matter of electoral petitions to the High Court in line with the Supreme Court ruling.
PF secretary-general Wynter Kabimba said members of the central committee met on Friday and unanimously agreed to enforce the judgment of the Supreme Court.
“It was a unanimous decision and I, as secretary-general of the party, have written to our lawyers to proceed with the matter to the High Court to bar those whose elections were nullified because of corruption,” Mr Kabimba said.
Mr Kabimba, who is also Minister of Justice and acting President, said the move is a matter of principle and President Sata’s promise of stamping out corruption in all forms.
Mr Kabimba said the decision is not targeted at individuals but is aimed at stamping out corruption in all its forms.
“Since 2001, we used to complain about losing the elections and we believe there were electoral malpractices and so when we won in 2011, we didn’t want to use any underhand methods. We decided to go to an independent tribunal. We filed in 55 petitions,” he said.
Mr Kabimba said the party does not hate the United Party for National Development or the MMD candidates by petitioning results but merely wanted to prove a point.
He said the PF believes President Sata got more votes than was announced.
Mr Kabimba said PF views corruption as corruption irrespective of its form.
“There is no small corruption or big corruption. Corruption is corruption is corruption,” he said.
Mr Kabimba said some people have accused the PF of depriving people of certain constituencies of members of Parliament through litigation.
He said Transparency International Zambia also petitioned the Electoral Commission of Zambia through the courts of law to bar those whose elections were nullified on account of corruption.
Mr Kabimba said the party agrees with other stakeholders who have praised the independence of the Judiciary and non-interference by the PF Government.
“We praise the independence of the Judiciary like those other stakeholders,” he said
Last week, the Supreme Court ruled that opposition MPs whose elections were nullified on account of electoral malpractices can re-contest their seats.
The court, however, advised the parties involved to pursue the matter in the High Court if they so wished.

1 COMMENT

  1. Rather than prove any point the whole saga is malicious until when what consists corruption is tabulated and given interpretation. A party in government will make donations in an area pending an election justifying it as a planned governments program when we know separation is razor thin is it not corrupting the electorate! A tabulation comprising electoral malpractices and a single guiding rule for all contestants to level the playing field are needed i.e. police protection/escort.

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