People’s Party President Mike Mulongoti says the judgment that the Supreme Court on the three suspended judges makes him wonder if the judiciary really wants the autonomy they cry for.
And Mulongoti said government should budget for subsidies the same way they budgeted for by-elections.
Featuring on Radio 5FM’s Hot Seat Programme Mulongoti said the ruling by Judge Chibesakunda-led Supreme Court bench was a lost opportunity.
Recently four out of seven Supreme Court judges voted to give President Michael Sata his wish to have a tribunal investigate the three judges that among other things ruled against his friends (Director of Public Prosecutions Mutembo Nchito, Post Newspapers Editor Fred M’membe over their K14 billion debt owed to the Development Bank of Zambia).
“The recent judgment made me wonder whether the judiciary really wants the autonomy they cry for. There was a clear case of judicial impropriety,” Mulongoti said.
“They took the middle of the road hoping that things will go away. The judiciary must acquit itself; I am not pointing fingers at anyone. It left justice to the whims of individuals.”
He said, “They let us down on a landmark decision. That judgment has opened a Pandora’s Box and let us wait and see where it will lead us the judiciary must acquit itself.”
He said there was money for by-elections but suddenly there was no money for subsidies.
“Now we are told by-elections are budgeted for why not budge for subsidies if you can budget for by-elections?” he said.
“The removal of subsidies triggers everything so indirectly they are increasing prices. I do not know if anyone who has received an increase to cater for all these things. There is need for government to look at where this fuel is coming from,” he said.
“Why is our fuel the most expensive in the region? It is because individuals are they are selfish.”
The former Works and Supply minister said with the removal of subsidies on the government had left poor farmers at the mercy of ruthless buyers.
“Negotiations of maize will be at whose behest? So what they have done is they have opened a Pandora’s Box. The Americans refused to go to the World Trade Organization to go and discuss subsidies they know that food is security,” he said.
“…unless you are saying that people must perish today for others to live tomorrow. This is a moral issue because there is no guarantee that the money will go where it is most needed. What about those who cannot eat today this is a moral issue? If you want to argue for the future I feel sorry for you, argue for the people who are starving today. That kind of argument I do not agree with you.”
Mulongoti denounced the opposition parliamentarians who had taken to defecting to the ruling party claiming they would be more effective.
“Those with cases are looking for protection. Those who are crossing know that we know that we need money for schools or clinics to develop this country,” he said.
“We are not saying you cannot work with government but it does not mean that to deliver you have to be in government. Do you necessarily have to cross over to be able to deliver? It is a fallacy to think that you can only deliver if you cross over.”
He said government was killing HIV/AIDS patients by not availing Anti Retro Viral medicines in hospitals.
“Government you have denied them (HIV/AIDS patients) nutrition by removing subsidies now you are denying them medication please help them,” he said.
Mulongoti said he did not support the issue of homosexuality as a lawyer and also as Christian.
“I will speak first of all from a legal mind… whether it is a good or bad law it has to be respected. As a Christian the position on homosexuality is clear so I am trapped between the laws and as a Christian that Bible tells me acts against the order of nature must not be allowed,” he said.
He said if the 50 plus one vote was enacted in the constitution it would force opposition MPs to unite.
He also defended his right to insist on the presidency.
“It is natural progression if you have been a village headman then the next aspiration is to be chief, once minister then next step is to be president like Roosevelt said the future belongs to realize to the beauty of their dreams,” he said.
“You cannot ascend to power without the people’s support if you think you will find people coming from nowhere those who aspire they have seen the deficiencies. So you will see even more from PF forming political parties.”
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