UPND president Hakainde Hichilema and Economic Equity Party (EEP) leader Chilufya Tayali have agreed to discontinue the case before the Lusaka High Court in which the former had sued the latter for allegedly defaming his character.

The two opposition leaders have entered a consent order before the Lusaka High Court to discontinue a defamation matter.

In this matter, Hichilema had sued Tayali in 2017 over his continued claim that he was a freemason.

The matter was initially filed in the Livingstone High Court where Hichilema was granted an interim injunction restraining Tayali from issuing any further defamatory statements against him.

It was, however, transferred to Lusaka High Court.

According to the consent order filed in the Lusaka High Court in June this year, the parties had agreed to discontinue the case after Tayali apologised to Hichilema.

“That the defendant having rendered an unreserved apology to the plaintiff and undertaking not to repeat the utterances that led to the cause of this action, the parities have mutually resolved to have these proceedings discontinued and that the defendant shall have no claims against the plaintiff arising from or connected to this case or based on facts premised on the proceedings,” read the consent order.