New UNIP leadership sues old team for interference

EMBATTLED Tilyenji Kaunda and nine others have been sued by the newly elected executive committee for interfering with the administration and management of UNIP.

Mr Lazarous Mwiche suing in his capacity as Secretary General of UNIP wants the court to order Mr Kaunda and others to stop masquerading as the party’s president and members of the central committee (MCC) respectively.

He also wants an order restraining the 10 from interfering with and obstructing the elected UNIP President, Bishop Trevor Mwamba and MCCs from formalising the change of office bearers at the Societies Registry.

Mr Mwiche wants the defendants to be restrained from interfering and obstructing members from participating and contesting at various levels of the forth-coming elections to be exclusively processed and facilitated by the party’s central committee elected into office at the national congress held from April 2 to 4 this year.

Mr Kaunda has been sued together with Reverend Alfred Banda, Mr Njekwa Anamela, Mr Manuel Ngambi, Mr John Sandwe, Mr Welfare Mfune, Mr James Kabuyana, Mr Fraser Kaonga, Ms Rosmaty Banda and others unknown.

In a statement of claim, Mr Mwiche stated that the 10 were at all material times individuals and members of UNIP who previously held certain positions of leadership at varying levels from 2001 and 2021 inclusively.

He said the party under Mr Kaunda illegally stayed in office for 16 to 20 years without hosting party congresses causing discontentment and frustrations in the general membership.

He said this prompted party members to commence a legal action under cause no.2019/ HP/1237 in 2019.

And on August 22, 2019, Mr Mwiche stated that Judge Wilfred Muma granted an order of interim injunction stopping the Mr Kaunda-led leadership from conducting any duties as MCC, except for the role to jointly organise the party congress in conjunction with the interim central committee as guided by the Chief Registrar of Societies.

He claimed that at the April 2 to 4 national congress, Mr Kaunda attempted to contest the position of President but for unknown reasons grew cold feet.