By Staff Reporter
PF national chairman Davies Chama says he was unaware that the ruling PF then through Clement Andeleki tried to deregister the then biggest opposition MMD, saying if he knew he would have opposed such a move.
But the ruling UPND has told PF to simply comply with the demands of the Registrar of Societies Thandiwe Mhende who has threatened them with deregistration over pronounced demands.
The situation the PF has found itself in where a sitting Registrar of Societies is trying to deregister them as the biggest opposition party is similar to when the PF then as a ruling party tried to deregister the biggest opposition and former ruling MMD through now Katombola member of parliament Andeleki who served as Registrar of Societies at the time.
Asked if he regrets that the PF acted in such a manner against the MMD as those in the UPND administration are doing against PF, Chama expressed ignorance that such a thing ever happened.
“Me personally I’m not even aware of what you are talking about. Even when it was happening (attempts to deregister MMD), if at all it happened I was not aware and personally I wouldn’t have supported that kind of move. I was not aware that at any time, maybe I was disconnected, maybe that was a time when I was on suspension from the party,” Chama claimed.
Chama said in the same manner, he was also shocked when the PF removed the presidential immunity of former late president Rupiah Banda, saying he was very shocked and embarrassed that his own party could do such a thing.
“Those are some of the things I don’t support. And even at the time if I was active in terms of knowing what was going on (attempts to deregister MMD) I was not going to support that,” Chama said. “If at all it happened and I was around, I would have objected to that kind of move. I personally know Andeleki, now he’s Honourable, I would have approached him to say what you are doing is wrong. Stop it.”
Chama said it was possible that those in the UPND administration could follow through and deregister the PF, but was comforted that PF has always been compliant.
He said it was also possible that because of desperation someone could have removed some PF documents in the registrar’s office without the registrar’s knowledge.
He said it should puzzle people that a prominent political party was being targeted with deregistration when there were many silent organisations that have been existing without even submitting annual returns.
“So you can see that you are dealing with scared little young men,” Chama said.
But the UPND has argued that the PF must just respond to the demands rather than dragging the name of the President in the mud, to which Chama responded that that response alone shows the extent of UPND involvement in the matter.
But asked on the fact that some of the office bearers provided to the registrar have since resigned such as former president Edgar Lungu, Chama agreed that there were certain administrative issues that are done along the way, the more reason why the law provides for submissions of annual returns in the event one has died or even resigned.
He said PF would hold a general conference to elect a new leader after former president Edgar Lungu announced intentions to step down, and that people must distinguish membership and participation in an organisation.
“So if they are confusing themselves (asking) why is he holding the office? He will vacate when we update our records to the Registrar after one year when we do our returns,” said Chama, arguing that the country’s biggest opposition party could not be deregistered on the basis of administrative issues which keep occurring during the life of that organisation.
And below is the full press statement issued by the UPND in response to the assertions they are the ones pushing the anti-democratic agenda:
JUST COMPLY WITH THE LAW AND AVOID DRAGGING CIVIL SERVANTS INTO YOUR ILLEGALITIES.
April 26, 2023
LUSAKA – It was not our intention to respond on the ongoing debate over the pending deregistration of the former ruling party and now opposition Patriotic Front by the Registrar of Societies owing to the breach of section 2 of the Societies Act Cap 119 of the laws of Zambia.
But the amount of scorn being leveled against our Party and Republican President Hakainde Hichilema as well as the Chief Registrar of Societies Madam Thandiwe Mhende by the Patriotic Front leadership and surrogates leaves us with no choice.
From the onset, the UPND wishes to remind the Patriotic Front and its rank and file that the matter at hand is not political nor is malicious but a matter of law and we see no reason why government should be dragged in the mud because of the party’s disorganization and failure to respect the laws of the land.
The Chief Registrar is on firm ground and has cited the sections of the law which has been abrogated by the Patriotic front and has provided them with a remedy to cure the anomaly which the PF has found itself in. It is thus appalling that the party through former Ambassador Emmanuel Mwamba and Matero lawmaker Miles Sampa have opted to dance to the gallery and in their true self rushed to seek public sympathy.
Instead of rushing to the media in an attempt to launder its ‘illegality’ and tarnishing the image of government accusing it of tramping on its democratic rights to exist, we urge them to quickly put their house in order during the seven days ultimatum and show cause why the party should continue operating as the country’s biggest opposition party.
The Registrar of Societies says they only have 3 office bearers in its custody instead of the required 10 and the PF insists that it has submitted the required number. It is time for the PF to merely correct the records and show the 10 office bearers in order to put this matter to rest instead of pointing accusing fingers.
The country and government has so many placing needs that need urgent attention and we really have no time to start discussing a matter that would have been avoided had the people respected the rules of the land more especially that they were the custodians of the same laws and regulations.
It is also a pity that the UPND and New Dawn government is being accused of engineering deregistration of the PF in order to turn Zambia into a one party state. We find this as a laughing matter because Zambia is a multiparty democracy with over seventy (70) political parties. How can deregistration of one political party lead to a one party state. What happens to the other 69 parties? Will they also go into extinct? Let the PF have respect for the other existing political parties as part of democratic coexistence.
As the party in government, we further wish to call upon and advise the Registrar of Societies to make sure that all existing political parties are following the requirements for their existence and are abiding to the requirements of the law.
As proponents of the rule of law, we urge the Registrar of Societies to leave no sacred cows as it sanitizes not only the political environment but all organizations falling under it.
Any failure to conduct a thorough check on the operations of all societies would render credence to suggestions that the PF misfortune is a witch hunt and not a matter of law. In the meantime, we shall follow the proceedings closely to its logical conclusion and urge the Registrar of Societies to conduct its business in a professional and legal way devoid of political or societal influence or pressure.
Issued by:
Ruth Dante-Heaton
Media Director
UPND
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