Allegations against Masebo hang in the balance – Harrington

FORMER Transport and Communications minister William Harrington says his intention to move a motion in the Lusaka High Court to probe Tourism and Arts Minister, Sylvia Masebo, over allegations of abuse of authority regarding the operations at Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA), hangs in the balance because he has no financial capacity to push his agenda forward.
Mr Harrington had sought judicial review over acting Chief Justice Lombe Chibesakunda’s decision to reject his application to appoint a Tribunal to probe Ms Masebo.
On Tuesday, the Lusaka High Court ruled that Mr Harrington has the right to be heard over allegations against Ms Masebo but it did not award him costs for his action.
The court said since the matter had moved in public interest, each party would bear its costs.
Mr Harrington has, however, complained that the action of the judicial review had been costly and that currently, he had no financial capacity to continue with the action as ordered by the court.
He said in a walk-in interview in Lusaka that unless other stakeholders, who wished to see justice in the matter came on board, the judgment granted in his favour would remain on paper.
Mr Harrington said the legal process had so far proved to be expensive for him and that proceeding with the matter was dependent on whether or not he would raise the required funds.
He said he was currently waiting for a quotation from his lawyer Gilbert Phiri on the projected cost of the whole action of the Tribunal.
Mr Justice Dominic Sichinga said in his judgment that the Parliamentary and Ministerial Code of Conduct required that acting Chief Justice Lombe Chibesakunda should appoint a Tribunal to probe
allegations against Ms Masebo.
He said the decision by the acting Chief Justice to refuse to appoint a Tribunal was flawed because Mr Harrington had the right to be heard under Section 13 (1) and (3) of the Act.
Mr Justice Sichinga said he was satisfied that there was an illegality on the acting Chief Justice’s decision not to appoint a Tribunal to investigate allegations levelled against Ms Masebo.