ZAMBIA’S judiciary needs redemption, senior chief Bright Nalubamba of the Ila people of Southern Province said yesterday.

And chief Nalubamba said the failure to register the London judgment is an insult to Levy Mwanawasa.
Commenting on Lusaka High Court judge Evans Hamaundu’s decision to throw out an application by the state to register the London High Court judgment that found Frederick Chiluba and others liable for theft of about US$46 million public funds, chief Nalubamba expressed dissatisfaction with the ruling.
“Zambia needs very strong men in the judiciary to stand up against selective application of justice. Zambia needs very strong men to redeem the judiciary. The country’s judiciary needs redemption,” chief Nalubamba said.
“I am convinced that within the judicial service there are men and women who can do that. To me this is dangerous, it may impact dangerously on the peace of our country. Look at the George Mpombo case; Mpombo is incarcerated and someone else in government who has committed the same crime is free. My government needs to change and show impartiality in the way they handle these things. Lucy Changwe’s case is not a crime unless Mpombo.”
He said the failure to register the judgment was an embarrassment for the country both locally and internationally.
“What was the purpose of the Vice-President George Kunda going to London? Were they on holiday? The failure to register the judgment is an insult to Mwanawasa. They have virtually insulted the late man and insulting the dead is not the correct way of doing things,” chief Nalubamba said.
“If Mwanawasa was alive today he will be very sad that he was dealing with dishonest fellows in running this country. For my part, there is no way I can support Chiluba no matter what our judiciary says. I must save my dignity and integrity here.”
He described the situation as a very sad moment for the country.
“…To see our judiciary’s failure to register a judgment which even a villager like me see it as clearly as it is written. It’s a judgment which also reflects on our input because our then justice minister and now Vice-President spent almost six months going to London although he now has a different story altogether, which confirms that the dispensation of the justice system is discriminatory,” chief Nalubamba said.
“How can Kunda go to the UK and say ‘Chiluba is a thief’ and now he turns around and says Chiluba is a political consultant of their party? But bad as the Chiluba episode is for the country it also creates an opportunity for the people in the judiciary to show that all is not lost. Strong men and women will come and show up to defend the judicial service.
“It's an opportunity for them to show who is a man in the judicial service. I am sure we have men and women who would want to deliver their services to the people fairly and impartially.”
He wondered what sort of image the country was trying to portray to the international community. “We expect people in the leadership, even if they are friends to those thieves, to stand up against corruption. How can you trust a person who says a man who steals is not a thief? My appeal to the government is to listen to the cries of the people,” chief Nalubamba said.
“Who do they expect to vote for them if they embrace thieves? Ordinary sensible Zambians will shun them. Zambia is reaching a danger zone. I appeal to the government to reverse this trend. In the eyes of sensible ordinary Zambians this judgment on Chiluba does not reverse the way they look at Chiluba as a thief. If anything it has annoyed most of them.”
Chief Nalubamba said the manoeuvres on Chiluba were annoying citizens.
“President Banda’s relationship with Chiluba will be his political downfall. Chiluba’s manipulation can put this country in very big trouble,” said chief Nalubamba.
 

Source: http://www.postzambia.co