New Heritage alarmed at allegations by Nakachinda

The opposition new heritage party is alarmed at allegations by patriotic front (PF) chairman for information, Raphael Nakacinda that president Hakainde Hichilema has been talking to judges with a view to influence the outcome of the petitions in respect of the nine PF members of parliament whose seats were nullified by the high court.

Party vice president Samuel Kasankha says any insinuation that the judiciary or any of its members individually may be compromised by outside authorities including the presidency or executive hugely undermines the independence of the judiciary and the much needed confidence the public need to have in them so that their adjudication is respected.

He adds that since there is no evidence to either support or dispel the assertions, it behoves Mr Nakacinda to publicly avail the evidence of his claims, failure to which he should withdraw the remarks, apologize to both the judiciary and the presidency, and desist from politicking around such a sensitive matter.

He notes with regret that Mr Nakacinda is not alone or in uncharted territory; he is simply perpetuating a trend which the united party for national development (UPND), its supporters and a lot of other anti PF members of society including civil society delved so much into when they were relentless in attacking the judiciary, and individual officials especially those of the constitutional court.

He discloses that decisions of the concourt were ridiculed and indeed assertions were made that the government including president Edgar Lungu were influencing the court just as judges were said to be unqualified adding that while it always felt wrong to speak of both the judges and the president in a defamatory fashion without adducing evidence, the UPND only now, when they are on the receiving end of the same challenge, see the folly of attacking the judiciary and the presidency in this manner.