SOCIALIST Party leader Fred M’membe, a journalist and lawyer, has personally filed a defamation complaint against Inspector General of Police Graphael Musamba after the police chief accused him of instigating anarchy and a coup in Zambia, renowned to be a peace haven.
A coup is an illegal and overt attempt by the military or other government elites to unseat the incumbent leader.
Dr M’membe said in the document filed today that Mr Musamba’s alleged sentiments during a press briefing on Tuesday that he was inciting a coup are defamatory in nature and that it is a criminal offence to defame a citizen.
“I verily believe that Mr Musamba’s utterances in their natural and ordinary meaning were meant and understood that I am instigating rebellion, anarchy and bringing coup to my peace-loving country, Zambia.
“I believe that the said press briefing, Mr Musamba uttered defamatory words against me and the Socialist Party of which I am a leader. That the content of the said video shows an intention on the part of the accused to defame me,” the former Post Newspapers editor-in-chief said.
Mr Musamba’s alleged defamatory sentiments were purportedly made in reaction to Dr M’membe’s previous utterances quoted by various sections of the media.
But in his court documents, Dr M’membe submits that he is an opposition leader who is entitled to comment on issues of the public interest affecting the Zambian people and the international community.
“That socialist party promotes socialism and its members are well disciplined and advocates for the rule of law while remaining vigilant on public interest matter.
“In line with my belief in preceding paragraph, I have been commenting on various matters I verily believe to be of public interest,” he submits.
Dr M’membe says on August 8, 2023, “One Graphael Musamba, the accused herein held a press briefing at the Zambia police Service headquarters in which briefing I was a core subject with my name being mentioned several times by Mr Musamba”.
He said the said briefing was covered by various mainstream media like Prime TV and ZNBC TV and numerous platforms at which Mr Musamba uttered that the “Socialist Party leader Fred M’membe’s statements on various media platforms are inciting peace-loving Zambians into a civil disobedience”.
Dr M’membe said has also quoted the IG saying “Police will not sit idle and watch while an individual whose utterances are hell bent on causing anarchy in the country. That the bringing of military coups or let me just say the relevant of coups from West Africa into this country we are wondering if this is the philosophy of socialism …That the Zambia Police Service has an obligation to defend the constitution at any cost and it will do even if some stain measures such as smashing the rebellion which we know is carefully being instigated by the Socialist Party”.
The opposition leader said the cited utterances by Mr Musamba, in their natural and ordinary meaning, were meant and understood that he was instigating rebellion, anarchy and bringing coup to “my peace-loving country, Zambia”.
“I believe that the said press briefing, Mr Musamba uttered defamatory words against me and the Socialist Party of which I am a leader. That the content of the said video shows an intention on the part of the accused to defame me.
“I believe that the conduct of the now accused is criminalised under section 191 of the Penal Code CAP 87 of the Laws of Zambia. By virtue of Mr Musamba’s position in our Zambia Police Service, even if I lodged a complaint at a police station, the same cannot be objectively acted upon since all our officers are reporting to him”.
(Mwebantu, Saturday, 12th August, 2023)
