Strange, orchestrated judgments worry Sata

Strange, orchestrated judgments worry Sata
Written by Chibaula Silwamba
Sunday, August 30, 2009 4:46:14 PM

STRANGE and orchestrated judgments are eroding faith in and credibility of the Judiciary, Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata said yesterday.And Sata (left) warned that PF youths will defend themselves from violent MMD cadres in line with the Zambian laws if the police will not defend them.

Addressing a media briefing at the PF secretariat in Lusaka, Sata said corruption could undermine the confidence of Zambians in public institutions and recent judgments by the Judiciary were a last straw.

"Some strange judgments most likely orchestrated have sent strong shocks into the community and have the effect of eroding faith in and credibility of the Judiciary," Sata said.

"It is our sincere hope that this institution so crucial to administration of justice and last recourse of aggrieved citizens will roll back the erosion of trust and confidence so that people are not led into temptation."

He pleaded with the Judiciary to maintain their historic role of being a mirror of the Zambian society.

"The UPND-PF pact will upon assumption of government in 2011 place priority on ensuring unquestionable independence of the Judiciary," Sata assured.

Sata charged that the current MMD leadership was too steeped in corruption to provide a good example, which the rest of the country could emulate.

"A crusade for a clean society is only possible to come to fruition when people in leadership of the country are classic examples of probity," Sata said. "We call upon our people to be steadfast in their resolve to send the MMD packing to save our country from collapse and being at the tail end of development in the global community."

He said Zambia had a huge task in the socioeconomic sphere to not only double development pace but to make sure that the resources were properly utilised, which was not the case at the moment under the MMD government.

On the MMD cadres that stabbed PF cadres outside the Lusaka Magistrates Court Complex on Friday, Sata warned that victims of violence were capable of fighting back.

"Before independence, the police were protecting the regime and when people saw that they could not be protected, they went on their own to protect themselves. That's how the Cha Cha Cha [uprising] came. Cha Cha Cha engulfed Northern Province very seriously, Copperbelt Province," Sata recalled.

"It's a warning; it's not me to tell people what to do. Everybody has a right to defend themselves. In Zambian laws we are entitled to self defence."

He urged police inspector general Francis Kabonde and Lusaka division commanding officer Greenwell Ng'uni not to be intimidated that they would lose their jobs if they arrested MMD cadres that violated the law with impunity.

"Now, I would like to appeal to comrade Francis Kabonde, I would like to appeal to Greenwell Ng'uni that they should not be intimidated by the dismissal of [former Task Force on Corruption executive chairman] Max Nkole. ...How can they [police] go and beat former miners who were fighting for their money, which Barclays Bank had chewed? Their money is in Barclays Bank; Barclays Bank has chewed their money. The police unleashed beating on former miners, they fail to beat those MMD people who are killing people at the court here. It's not fair," Sata complained.

"It's not Michael Sata, it's not PF. If the people can't be defended by the police, people will defend themselves. We pay tax to be defended by the police. You saw how that UNIP guy defended himself by clobbering a minister in Chitambo [Constituency] and the police had forgotten, they thought Gaston Sichilima was PF. He was being beaten and the police were smiling."

MMD and PF cadres clashed outside the Lusaka Magistrates Court Complex during the trial of Post news editor Chansa Kabwela and a separate case of the author.

During the clash, MMD cadres stabbed a PF cadre Joseph Chama with a screwdriver on the left temple and on the cheek and it pierced through his mouth while another PF cadre Ackson Shiyanga was stoned in the head in full view of the police.

On whether the Task Force on Corruption should continue or be disbanded, Sata said the Task force on Corruption had recorded the highest convictions than the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC).

"Comrade [Ronnie] Shikapwasha must be highly ashamed. Comrade Shikapwasha was the king supporter of [late president] Levy Mwanawasa. Ronnie Shikapwasha stood in Parliament supporting the existence of the Task Force and today because he is a man without a backbone, for them to protect their corrupt regime is to scrap the Task Force," said Sata in reaction to chief government spokesperson Lt Gen Ronnie Shikapwasha's remarks that justice minister and Vice-President George Kunda would determine the existence of the Task Force on Corruption.

Sata said: "The Task force even if it goes it has left a record of the highest convictions than the Anti Corruption Commission."

He wondered why the donors were tolerating corruption in Zambia.

"My main appeal is to the donor community. The British alone have spent £ 8.4 million to fight corruption and the Americans have spent enormous amounts and the Europeans have spent several millions of dollars and they are folding their arms... they are encouraging their money to go and build more corruption. People are dying, people are being persecuted while people are stealing money from public confers," Sata said.

"And Rupiah Banda says he wants to give $ 8 million dollars to [former president Frederick] Chiluba. They are not even talking about the $ 20 million Chiluba gave to Katebe Katoto. We know it! Today they might get away with it but they won't get away with it. They might give each other money, they might share Zambian people's money but the time will come."

And Sata commended Munali PF member of parliament Mumbi Phiri and other female members of the party's central committee for filing a notice for a judicial review over the decision by the Director of Public Prosecution (DDP) to withdraw an appeal against Chiluba.

"Comrade Mumbi Phiri and other PF women said we are not going to fold our arms like men, men are being scared of being killed while women said we are going. Our own woman Mumbi Phiri, she is contesting the DPP's withdrawal of that appeal," Sata said. "It took a woman while our men were watching. It's a woman who saw that women are dying in hospitals without drugs while people are stealing money and drugs."

Sata urged former minister of foreign affairs Mundia Sikatana and other Zambians to join Phiri in the legal battle against the DPP.

"We are appealing to Mr Mundia Sikatana, he is the one who proposed the removal of Chiluba's immunity in Parliament, to come and join this gallant woman in ... our judicial review and all those who are opposed, we are appealing to them to come. All those with legal brains should come to help this woman to prosecute justice," Sata said.

Sata urged journalists to be brave like Post news editor Chansa Kabwela and not to be intimidated.

"Draw our attention," said Sata. "PF will continue going to give you support at court even if they kill us. We want to produce martyrs. PF cadres, I want to compliment you, to congratulate you for supporting the just cause of our dear sister Chansa Kabwela because without Chansa Kabwela exposing this naked government, we wouldn't have known what is going on."