THE never-ending drama of PF featuring an all-star cast including former president Edgar Lungu, Raphael Nakachinda, Given Lubinda, Miles Sampa and Emmanuel Mwamba among others has continued to entertain Zambians with all kinds of twists and turns.
In the latest plot, the party’s Matero member of parliament who has been dribbled out of the presidency wants his successor Robert Chabinga cited for contempt.
Sampa claims that Chabinga disobeyed a Court order which prohibited him from pretending as party president.
Chabinga on November 10 held an elective convention in Lusaka and replaced Sampa as the leader of the party.
The Mafinga lawmaker did not only grab the presidency from Sampa, but also hounded him out of the party together with his ‘big brother’ Edgar Lungu and his backbone Raphael Nakacinda and former diplomat Emmanuel Mwamba among others.
But Sampa has filed in the Lusaka High Court a statement in support of list of ex-parte summons for leave to apply for an order to commence committal for contempt of court.
He wants party secretary general Morgan Ng’ona, Chabinga, and the Registrar of Societies to be committed to prison from going against a court order.
Sampa said contrary to the express orders and directives of the Court in its order of interim injunction dated November 9, 2024, the three alleged contemnors acted in open disregard of the Court’s directives and failed to comply with judicial obligations.
“The order specifically restrained Morgan Ng’ona and Robert Chabinga from: discharging any functions as party president and acting president of the PF and issuing statements in the media.
(b) Issuing statements, making public appearances, or conducting activities in the capacity of party president or acting president on media platforms such as Diamond TV, Crown TV, Millennium TV, Kalemba, or any other media outlet, or in any other form suggesting authority within the party’s leadership pending the full and final determination of this matter,”he said.
Sampa alleged that the Registrar of Societies disregarded the existing court order and the active court proceedings by amending the official records of the Patriotic Front Party’s leadership, despite being fully aware of the ongoing legal matter.
He said in disregard of the directives issued by the court, Chabinga held a press briefing where he declared himself as president of PF and the same was broadcast live on Kalemba and other media platforms.
Sampa complained that his former secretary general Morgan Ng’ona, repeatedly referred to Chabinga as the acting president or president of the Patriotic Front, in complete disregard of the Court’s directive to refrain from acknowledging or facilitating Chabinga’s claim to leadership.
“Morgan Ng’ona, previously obtained a stay order from this Honourable Court on the 4th of July, 2024, in his initial action against the Defendant, which maintained the status quo for the office holders within the Party,”Sampa contended.
“Robert Chabinga, attempted to join the current proceedings, thereby showing full awareness of the ongoing legal process and the limitations imposed on party leadership changes. The Court Order, signed on the evening of Saturday, the 9th of November, 2024, was served on Robert Chabinga via WhatsApp on the morning of the 10th of November, 2024, and was also circulated on social media, including Facebook, which provided explicit notice to both Ng’ona and Chabinga.”
He claimed that the Registrar of Societies despite having knowledge of the active court proceedings and the injunction order, amended the official records for the Patriotic Front Party leadership, effectively removing him as party president and recognized Chabinga in a leadership role.
“This action disregards the Court’s authority and contributes to the ongoing breach by Ng’ona and Chabinga,”Sampa said.
“The actions of the alleged Contemnors constitute a deliberate breach of the Court’s order and display a willful disregard for this Honourable Court’s authority.”
He stated that such conduct, contravenes the legal obligation to comply with judicial orders; repeatedly undermines the Court’s authority by disregarding injunctions issued to preserve the party’s leadership structure; and onterferes with the administration of justice by disregarding active court processes and altering official records without due regard for ongoing litigation.
Sampa said owing to the fact that Ng’ona and his Mafinga counterpart were fully aware of their legal obligations, the Registrar of Societies’ involvement further exacerbates the breach by authorizing changes to the party’s records despite an active court order.
He therefore sought leave to commence contempt of court proceedings for the committal of Morgan Ng’ona, Robert Chabinga, and the Registrar of Societies on the grounds of their direct and open disobedience of the Court’s interim injunction and their continuous undermining of the judicial process.
Sampa prayed for an order for leave to initiate contempt proceedings against the three alleged contemnors.
He is also seeking other reliefs that the court may deem fit.
In this case Ng’ona is challenging his dismissal from PF by Sampa and his unilateral decision to disband the party central committee.
By Mwaka Ndawa
Kalemba November 12, 2024.
