Morgan Ng’ona objects petition by PF presidential candidates

THE purported Patriotic Front (PF) secretary general, Morgan Ng'ona, has raised Preliminary Issues and asked the Lusaka High Court to set aside the petition by seven presidential candidates challenging the legality of the October 24, extraordinary general conference from which Miles Sampa installed himself as president of the party.

Mr Ng'ona submitted that the petition by Mutotwe Kafwaya and six other was nothing but forum shopping and therefore an abuse of court process as it aims to circumvent the current four cases in the High Court under cause numbers 23/HP/0225, 2023/HP/1866, 2023/HP/1899 and 2023/HB/77.

He has questioned whether the petition was competently before court when the litigants failed to sign the said petition as is required by law.

Mr Ng'ona contended the Petitioner's had the locus standi to sue on behalf of the party as none was a duly elected Secretary General.

"That the petition before this court is incompetent and a clear case of forum shopping.That in the premises, this is fit and proper case for this court to dismiss or set aside the petition filed by the Petitioners for being irregular or for being void,” Mr Ng’ona submitted..

The seven Petitioners include Mr Kafwaya,Mr Emmanuel Mwamba,Mr Chishimba Kambwili, Mr Brian Mundubile,Mr Godfrey Bwalya Mwamba (GBM),Mr Greyford Monde and Mr Chitalu Chilufya .

They are seeking among other declarations that the respondents contravened the party's regulations, party's electoral regulations,the party constitution .

They also contest that Mr Sampa and Mr Ng'onga have continued to violate their right to assemble and associate freely with other members of the party for the protection of their interests guaranteed by article 21 and as amplified by articles 60(2) of the constitution.