THE Patriotic Front has applied to be joined as an interested party to a matter where a Livingstone magistrate is seeking an order that the Registrar of Societies deregisters all political parties which have not practiced democracy within their parties through regular elections.
PF has submitted to the Constitutional Court that being a ruling party, it has sufficient interest to be joined to the proceedings as any order or declaration that may emanate from the petition may have a bearing on it.
In this matter, Benjamin Mwelwa, an Advocate of the High Court, has petitioned the Court, seeking an order and declaration that any political party which was registered and in existence as of January 5, 2016 and which has not promoted and practiced democracy through regular, free and fair elections, within its political party, has breached article 60(2)(d) of the Constitution (Amendment) Act no. 2 of 2016 and therefore such a political party ceased to exist as a political party in Zambia on January 4, 2017.
He wants an order that the Registrar of Societies deregisters all political parties for having ceased to exist as political parties in Zambia on January 4, 2017 and since violated article 60(2)(d) of the Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) Act no.2 of 2016 and section 18(1) and (2) Act no.1 of 2016.
Mwelwa cited Attorney General, Likando Kalaluka and the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) as the respondents in the matter.
Last month, the Constitutional Court joined UPND as an interested party to the matter.
This was after Stephen Katuka in his capacity as Secretary General of the UPND, applied to join the case as an interested party, saying the petition targets all political parties in Zambia, of which UPND was the main opposition party.
And now, Mwila has also applied to join the case as an interested party.
According to an affidavit in support of summons for joinder as an interested party, Mwila stated that the PF as the ruling party would be affected by any order or declaration that may emanate from the petition.
“The petition seeks declarations affecting all political parties in Zambia. The Patriotic Front is the current ruling party and any order or declaration that may emanate from the petition may have a bearing on it. In light of the above, the Patriotic Front as a political party has sufficient interest to be joined to these proceedings,” read the document.
One Response
While that may be the case it would be prudent that any resulting ruling is in the interest of serving a bigger cause that preserves our country’s democracy. It’s apparent the magistrate in this matter is on a fascist agenda which will result in a one party state and it should be thwarted as a matter of urgency.
Meanwhile the opposition needs to learn to exercise internal democracy, so many lawyers and scholars and they all missed this act or ignored it for self-serving interests.