THE Constitutional Court may have to pass its judgement on a matter in which Sean Tembo has accused President Hakainde Hichilema of perpetuating regionalism and tribalism after the State has failed to respond to a petition and defend itself.
Mr Tembo, the Patriots for Economic Progress (PeP) president has petitioned Constitutional Court in a matter in which he accused President Hichilema of perpetuating regionalism and tribalism.
The State has failed to counter Mr Tembo’s accusations against President Hichilema who is alleged to be perpetuating tribalism in the country by making appointments into government based of regionalism.
The matter is before Constitutional Court Judge, Mr. Justice Kenneth Mulife.
According to the Court’s orders and directions, the Respondent’s (Attorney General) answer to Mr Tembo’s accusations against President Hichilema should have been filed on 10th May, 2023 and served to the Petitioner (Sean Tembo) by 11th May, 2023 had since not been served.
But by the 11th, of May, the State had neither responded to the petition nor had served the defence on the petitioner by deadline of 11th May, 2023.
Tembo, had filed a petition in the Constitutional Court in which he has accused President Hakainde Hichilema of allegedly perpetrating regionalism and tribalism.
He contended that the appointments in key positions such as the Judiciary, Defence and Security wings, quasi government institutions and State House were regionally biased.
Mr Tembo stated that since Mr Hichilema assumed office in 2021, he had directly or indirectly acted in a way that sought to undermine and disadvantage the Northern and Eastern regions.
He had cited the Attorney General as the respondent.
According to the petition Mr Tembo contended that the remarks allegedly made by President Hichilema on November 7, 2021, at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport that ” a clique of thieves” had been leaving off public resources from independence and don’t think another person can run the country in a better way ” was demeaning to his six predecessors.
He stated that the said statement had regional connotations and did not promote national unity and cohesion.
Mr Tembo contended that the appointments at Permanent Secretary Level and quasi government institutions such as Zesco were regionally biased.
He is also seeking declaration that the appointments at the Ministry of Justice, Judiciary, Permanent Secretary Level, quasi government institutions and State House were divisive to the nation and calculated to promote tribalism and regionalism, which do not promote unity and cohesion.
