…Says he withdrew preliminary matters to focus on main issue
Patriotic Front (PF) faction president Miles Sampa has withdrawn his interim injunction to bar Robert Chabinga, another party presidency claimant, and Morgan Ng’ona from conducting party business.
The notice of withdrawal, filed on November 25, also rescinded Sampa’s contempt of court applications.
But in a post on his Facebook page, Sampa states that the withdrawal of the applications was to facilitate a speedy hearing of the main case.
“We withdrew the many preliminary matters including contempts we had raised so that the main matter of the case is heard without further delays. 4th December has been set for the next hearing.”
These applications stemmed from Chabinga’s defiance of a Lusaka High Court order, during which he held a press briefing at Radisson Blu Hotel in Lusaka and declared himself PF acting president.
Sampa, on November 11, sought the court’s permission to initiate contempt proceedings against Chabinga, Ng’ona, and the Registrar of Societies.
Chabinga had previously expelled Sampa, Nkandu Luo, former Republican President Edgar Lungu, and some members of Parliament from the party citing gross indiscipline.
The dispute intensified on November 9, when the Lusaka High Court issued an injunction restraining Chabinga from claiming the PF presidency. However, Chabinga ignored the order and held a press briefing that deepened the rift within the party.
Sampa accused Chabinga, Ng’ona, and the Registrar of Societies of undermining the court’s authority by altering the PF leadership records to recognize Chabinga and removing Sampa as party president. He described these actions as a deliberate breach of the court’s directive.
However, Ng’ona in his affidavit in opposition to the committal application argued that Sampa’s interpretation of the court’s stay order issued on July 4 was flawed.
He maintained that the order did not affirm Sampa’s position as PF president and that the presidency itself was not a matter under the court’s consideration.
“I wish to add that this contempt application is premised on the misapprehension of the contents of the stay as the defendant erroneously thought the said stay also preserved his position of the presidency in the party,” he submitted.
