By JAMES KUNDA –
THE Patriotic Front (PF) has challenged sections of society questioning President Edgar Lungu’s pardoning of prisoners to refer to the Republican Constitution in which the action is prescribed as legal.
Meanwhile, the ruling party is disturbed that an international media organisation has continued issuing reports accusing the Government of intending to introduce currency controls.
PF media and publicity committee vice-chairperson Sunday Chanda has also admonished United Party for National Development (UPND) leader Hakainde Hichilema who has continued demonising the country’s political stability through the foreign media.
Mr Chanda said in a statement in Lusaka yesterday that pursuant to Article 59 (d) of the Constitution CAP 1 of the Laws of Zambia, President Lungu had the authority to pardon 502 prisoners in commemoration of this year’s Christmas Day.
The pardoned inmates, who include two people aged 75 and 83, were serving various jail sentences at different prisons across the country and the President merely exercised his prerogative of mercy.
Mr Chanda was shocked that United Nations (UN) special rapporteur Dubravka Simonovic could call on the Zambian Government to publicly withdraw the appointment of Clifford Dimba, alias General Kanene, as a gender-based violence ambassador following his presidential pardon this year.
“We wish to remind Mr Simonovic that such power is at the discretion of presidents worldwide.
“We wish to educate Mr Simonovic that His Excellency President Edgar Chagwa Lungu did not break any law to exercise the pardon,” Mr Chanda said.
He remind Mr Simonovic that Article 60 of the Constitution prescribes the existence of an advisory committee on the prerogative of mercy which consists of people appointed by the President.
“It must be mentioned that the President depends on the said committee to advise him regarding convicted persons on whom the prerogative of mercy may be extended.
“We wish to place on record that President Lungu, a lawyer by profession and firm believer in human rights, acted within the confines of the Constitution and upon recommendation by the advisory committee on the prerogative of mercy and prison authorities regarding Clifford Dimba’s pardoning,” he said.
Mr Chanda said the party was aware that Mr Hichilema retained a United Kingdom (UK)-based consultancy which is doing media placements for him.
The Independent newspaper was, however, warning over rising political repression in Zambia in a story attributed to Mr Hichilema who said that the country was about to slide into a genocide.
“Mr Hichilema is an international alarmist who prides in taking to international forums to discourage foreign investment into Zambia.
“The international community would be wise to know that it is Mr Hichilema’s style of tribal politics and those of his party that can trigger a genocide if given the chance but Zambians have seen through him and hence his rejection in four consecutive elections,” he said.
Mr Chanda also scoffed a report by Bloomberg Business correspondent Matthew Hill under a story headlined ‘Zambia considers reintroducing currency rules, Treasury says’.
“We do not expect reputable international media to sink to such levels of reporting untruths and figments of their own imagination.
“We have engaged Mr Matthew Hill when he misrepresented President Lungu’s call for national prayers and fasting but it is clear that he sees nothing wrong in purveying falsities about Zambia and its people,” he said.