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The Edgar Lungu-led Patriotic Front (PF) has instructed its lawyers to file a notice of appeal in the conviction cases of Kawambwa and Pambashe Constituency lawmakers, Nickson Chilangwa and Ronald Chitotela, along with others.
In a resounding verdict, Chitotela faces a severe sentence of no less than 10 years after being found guilty of arson by the Kawambwa Magistrates’ Court.
While Chilangwa was acquitted of arson charges, he was found guilty of malicious damage and sentenced to five years.
Raphael Nakachinda, the faction General-Secretary, told journalists at a media briefing in Lusaka on Tuesday that the appeal was aimed at securing bail for the lawmakers and others.
“To delay the bail application process, those responsible were kept behind and later, we learned the two lawmakers had been transported to another correctional facility, reportedly in Mansa,” Nakachinda said.
He asserted that the party views the convictions as a miscarriage of justice, claiming that Chilangwa and Chitotela were not connected to the crime.
Nakachinda emphasised that the party was pursuing an appeal and bail application to ensure justice for the convicted individuals.
“The party stands with the families of our affected colleagues and believes they were targeted by the United Party for National Development (UPND) and the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ),” he added.
Read More: PF lawmaker, Chitotela, faces 10-year jail sentence for arson
Emmanuel Mwamba, the faction Chairperson for Information and Publicity, accused the UPND government of orchestrating by-elections to bolster their parliamentary numbers.
Mwamba alleged that the UPND administration seeks to abolish the 50+1 electoral system and extend the presidential term from five to seven years.
“The UPND is using legal tactics to create by-elections, starting with Kwacha and Kabushi constituencies and now extending to Kawambwa and Pambashe,” he said.
Mwamba argued that in a normal democracy, fresh elections would have been held for Kabushi and Kwacha, as the Constitutional Court had ruled that the two lawmakers were unfairly prevented from participating in the elections.
He urged party members and the Zambian people to oppose these actions, protect democracy and remain resilient, asserting that their time would come in 2026.
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