RB bans comments on court cases

A quick review of the postings of this blog reveals that most of them have been critical of the MMD government. I have therefore been on the look out for some positive stories to address the imbalance. The Daily Mail (29/04) has provided an opportunity....

PRESIDENT Banda has banned Government ministers, members of Parliament and MMD party officials from commenting on matters that are before the courts of law because this is prejudicial.
This is according to a statement issued in Lusaka yesterday by State House Special Assistant for Press and Public Relations, Dickson Jere.
Mr Banda said it is incorrect for Government officials and members of the ruling MMD to continue issuing statements which are prejudicial to the cases currently before the court of law.
The President said every citizen, including MMD national secretary Katele Kalumba, has the right to a free trial which should be respected by all.
“Let us allow the due process of the law to take its course. We should all refrain from making comments, which may be prejudicial to the ongoing criminal cases before the courts of law,” he said.

The President is correct to ask Beeny Tetamashimba to shut up and stop calling for Katele Kalumba to resign as MMD national secretary. Kalumba is entitled to his day in court to answer the allegations that have been levelled against him. Tetamashimba is displaying double standards by calling for Kalumba to resign while remaining quiet on Dora Siliya. We should also remember that the current MMD chairman Michael Mabenga was found guilty by the supreme court of having abused the Constituency Development Fund sometime back. But the MMD still welcome him into their ranks.

The PANEL

Source : http://panel-on-zed.blogspot.com/2009/04/rb-bans-comments-on-court-cases.html