Former Zambian lawmaker gets another 18 months in prison for 'seditious' speech

By James Kunda

LUSAKA, Zambia (AA) – A local court in Lusaka sentenced a former Zambian lawmaker to 18 months in prison for "sedition" over a speech he gave in 2023 in which he claimed President Hakainde Hichilema had decided to dissolve parliament and call for early elections, which turned out to be false.

Lusaka Magistrate Trevor Kasanda announced his verdict against Munir Zulu, who was also fined 800 Zambian Kwachas (less than $30) in the case, despite his lawyer Boniface Chiwala's earlier assurance to the court in his previous appearance that his client would be cautious in the future.

Zulu, who was sentenced to one year in jail by a Lusaka magistrate last month and lost his parliamentary seat, was present in court when the verdict was announced for his additional imprisonment.

Zulu was elected to parliament for the Lumezi constituency (East of Zambia) in the country's last general elections in 2021, but he lost his seat after the verdict last month.

In the judgment, a Lusaka magistrate found him guilty of defaming the country's Finance and National Planning Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane, Infrastructure, Housing, and Urban Development Minister Charles Milupi, and Road Development Agency chairman Mulchand Kuntawala.

His Friday's conviction in the case stemmed from a speech he gave to a large number of journalists on Sept. 8, 2023, in which he insisted President Hichilema would dissolve Parliament during a national address later that year.

The prediction proved incorrect, as the president's subsequent speech focused on economic reforms rather than political restructuring.

During his proceedings on Wednesday, government prosecutors argued that Zulu's statement was purposefully provocative, intended to incite public unrest in Zambia's tense political climate.