Bus drivers seek prison for PF cadres over contempt charges

BUS drivers have asked the Lusaka High Court to grant them leave to commit Chawama Constituency PF chairperson, Joseph Shanzi and Dickson Banda to prison for contempt, stating that the behaviour of the two amounted to total disobedience and disrespect for the court process.

Chola Chishimba, Evans Mwanza and 27 others stated in their application that the two PF officials continued contempt of court by their deliberate non-compliance of the court proceedings of the April 23, 2020.

In this matter, the bus drivers sued Shanzi and Banda for allegedly misappropriating funds meant for development activities in the constituency, generated from public busses procured by constituency members.

“The relief sought herein is an order that Joseph Shanzi and Dickson Banda particularly who disobeyed and disregarded the court process be committed to prison for their continued contempt of Court for non-compliance, disobedience of the Court proceedings of the 23rd April, 2020.”

The drivers are seeking relief that the defendants , their agents, and servants conduct in deliberate disobeying the said Court process changed and altering the ownership of the two Hino buses registration No. BAL 7042 and BAL 7043 at RATSA, fraudulently doctored minutes of the ward officials purporting to be Constituency officials , chasing Chishimba and the members from Choma ,Monze bus station in Chawama constituency and suspending some other officials perceived to have interest in this matter particularly Mr Capson Mwanza the constituency vice-chairman which is prejudice to the administration of justice.

“That we pray to this honorable Court that the defendants should be committed to prison for being dis-respective to this honorable Court,” stated the plaintiffs.

Mr Zimba said from the word go the party had been perceived to be that of Southern Province which had made it difficult for many people to support it.

He said Zambians had seen that the political party only embraced southerners and they had opted for political parties with a national face.

Mr Zimba in an interview yesterday, said even if the UPND formed a pact with National Democratic Congress (NDC) leader Chishimba Kambwili as long as Mr Hakainde Hichilema would be at the helm, nothing would change.

He said people opt for a political party with a national face because it had interest of all Zambians.

“Look the only way the pact can work and I want to make it clear unless Kambwili becomes head of that and Mr Hichilema gives up that desire he has for the Presidency, it won’t work.

If you look at the voting pattern add all the registered voters in Southern Province then compare with other Provinces it is very difficult actually for a Southerner to win because it is something we have planted to say UPND is for Southerners.

“There is evidence, there a lot of Members of

Parliament in UPND from Southern Province , so it is seen to be the party for the Southerners and this has angered many, they do say that why should a party be for Southerner,” Mr Zimba said.

Mr Zimba the tribal tag was a major cause why UPND would continue to be in opposition for a longer period of time.

He said if something changed in the party hierarchy it can change the perception Zambians had because it would at least contain a national face.