The Zambian government has rejected growing calls for the resignation of the country’s Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Chalwe Mchenga who is accused of being compromised by the State in his decisions.
Mchenga has been embroiled in controversy for the last four months after he refused to appeal against the judgment made by a Lusaka Magistrates Court that acquitted the former President Frederick Chiluba on charges of theft.
The judgment caused public protest, with civil society groups demanding that the State appeal against the judgment in a higher court — which DPP Mchenga refused to do.
However, the controversy grew bigger when President Rupiah Banda admitted that he had stopped the appeal in order to save Chiluba from a prison sentence.
Banda’s remarks angered the public who are now demanding that Mchenga should step down because he had bowed to political pressure, contrary to the provisions of the law, which gives the office of the DPP complete autonomy from political interference.
But Vice President George Kunda said at a press conference on Friday that government would not allow Mchenga to step down because he had discharged his duties professionally.
The vice president instead accused the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) who have been leading the calls for the resignation of Mchenga as being partisan.
He accused the LAZ leadership of being members of the opposition Patriotic Front (PF), claiming that it was no coincidence that the PF has also been demanding the resignation of Mchenga.
He said Mchenga was a highly qualified lawyer and had not in any way breached the constitution by bowing to political pressure.
The controversial acquittal of Chiluba in August has caused a raging debate with public demands for the case to be brought back to court which the government has steadfastly refused to do.
Source African Press Agency
loading...
