SUPREME COURT RESERVES RULING IN MONDE’S CASE

THE Supreme Court has reserved ruling to a later date in a matter in which Deputy Agriculture Minister Greyford Monde has appealed against his expulsion from the United Party for National Development (UPND).
The decision was passed by a bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Lombe Chibesakunda, her acting deputy Mervin Mwanamwambwa, Florence Lengalenga, Gregory Phiri, Rhodah Kaoma, Munalula Lisimba, Hilda Chibomba, Munyinda Wanki and Albert Wood.
When the matter came up for hearing yesterday, both Mr Monde, who is Itezhi Tezhi Member of Parliament, and UPND lawyers informed the court that they would rely on their submitted arguments.
The panel later reserved judgement to a date to be communicated.
This is in a matter in which Mr Monde has appealed against the Lusaka High Court’s decision not to grant him an injunction to restrain the UPND from expelling him.
Mr Monde has argued in his submission that the High Court was wrong in law when it applied its mind to the merits of the case and not the application for injunction that was before it when it refused to grant him the injunction.
He said the High Court was also wrong in law and in fact and it contradicted itself when it said that he (Mr Monde) could not be atoned for in damages but refused to grant the injunction to him.
Mr Monde further said he was an MP who had been expelled from UPND and as a result risked losing his seat in Parliament thus subjecting the innocent people in his constituency to a by-election which was a matter of public policy because it affected the Zambian society at large.
He said the holding of a by election would be a costly venture to the nation and that instead of channeling money to a by election, it could be used towards other developmental purposes.
But the UPND has insisted in its submissions that the High Court was not wrong in refusing to grant Mr Monde the junction he was seeking because the lawmaker no longer believed in the ideals of the party.

Times of Zambia