FORMER Republican president, Rupiah Banda has sued Chief Chisunka of the Ushi people for likening him to a monkey “that was left in a maize field”.
Mr Banda has sued Chief Chisunka for defamation of character and is demanding damages over the monkey reference and alleging that the former head of State “stole a lot”.
Mr Banda is also seeking an injunction restraining Chief Chisunka, whose names are Justine Haakamwaya, his agents or servants from further publishing or causing to be published similar libel against him.
According to a statement filed by his lawyers from Lusaka Central Chambers in the principal registry at the Lusaka High Court, Mr Banda said he was the fourth president of the Republic of Zambia, politician and member of the MMD.
Mr Banda, who is also demanding for exemplary and punitive damages, said Chief Chisunka, through an interview he gave to The Post, caused to be published a libellous article on November 10, 2011 entitled ‘Rupiah Banda has stolen a lot’ and another article entitled ‘Rupiah Banda was like a monkey in a maize field’, published in the same paper on January 1, 2012.
He contends that the malicious and false articles were published both electronically and by hard copy and had resulted in damaging of his character and good standing in society.
Mr Banda said the articles were widely circulated throughout Zambia and the world at large, and that the same words were false and were uttered with malice, recklessness and with disregard for the truth.
He said in their natural and ordinary meaning, the words were understood to mean that Mr Banda was a criminal and connected to illegal and corrupt dealings.
Mr Banda said the words were further understood to mean that he was prepared to circumvent legally refined tender procedures, was prepared to cheat the Zambian people and was not fit to be a political leader.
He said the words also meant that Mr Banda should not hold any political office and that he was part of an orchestrated scheme to commit fraud.Mr Banda said the words were understood to mean that he was a tribalist.
The former head os State said the statement that referred to him that he was a criminal involved in corruption and illegal dealings were serious in nature, libellous and slanderous and were aimed at damaging his reputation.
He said because of the article, he and his family had been subjected to abuse and ridicule by members of the public.He averred that Chief Chisunka’s conduct fell below acceptable standards of a traditional leader because none of his allegations was true.
Mr Banda said because of the traditional leader’s allegations, he had suffered loss and was entitled to damages.The matter has been allocated to Lusaka High Court Judge, Mungeni Mulenga.
[Times of Zambia]
lelo lelo lelo
Good one! People shouldn’t think they can say anything about anyone so carelessly.
a banda naimwe yaminyokola njala pamene apa what money can you get from ka small chief muletusebanya bakalamba.as the leader ignore some of these isues .remember what goes round comes round.you used to call your friends as a galu or mwana waimbwa now you have been refered to as a monkey chamibaba
TAKE THIS MONEY SEEKER TO COURT…..this simple and dull chief must be arrested,,,,Chief with a low profile….Chief Chisunka…i wounder is a bemba and he thinks zambia is bambe you witch zambia is bigger than bemba….RB just beat him up to stop opening his mouth careless like his boss ukwa
Chief Chisunka knows what he was talking about. RB was using chiefs to push forward his agenda. So when chief Chisunka said what he said, he knew what he was saying.
Ma ma ma he will be bewitched ,have you forgotten that Chisunka is member of the senate of the Chiengi Institute of Technology headed by Katele! Kalumba..Don t be surprised when thunder and lightening will strike in the middle of June when the last drop of rains is long gone.RB should not say i didn t warn him,am a dropout from the institution.
Monkeys in a maize field! Very precise description. AGREED!!
And it’s children , he should have added.
Chief chisunka must have alot of information about the misleads of some leaders of the then ruling part(MMD) because the chiefs were used as conduits of the MMD campaigns.Thisis not a secret anymore.Chief you can even stand as state witness at some point when RB begins to appear in court for abusing his authority during his tenure of office.
SO WHAT?????
Has SATA sued you for calling him” Ngomwa ya kanthu”? Meaning sata is barren. Ba banda kafeleni kutali.
can we be serious as a nation, busy everyday doing Kachepa, telling lies yet hiding under the auspices of a Christian nation. If this cheif knows something he better come out and say it other wise he deserves to be sued. Its the pribnciple of the thing. I hope Banda goes for punitive Damages to be awarded. People like Mmembe have brought journalism into disrepute and given liars and kachepas a platform. Rubbish.
Okay Mr President, so you did not steal a lot, just a little bit.
This is interesting how is this law framed so the former head of state can sue others and him cannot be sued coz of immunity. He is also on record falsely accusing innocent citizens of theft when in fact not . The big man should just discontinue this case in all fairness. Rest well Mr. President and thanks for your service to the country and God bless you.
Somebody please give my chief immunity from prosecution. But RB must study history. What finally brought about FTJ’s fall is when took Mmembe, Nawakwi and Dipak to court over the article in the Post captioned “Chiluba is a thief”. That opened up the can of worms or pandoras box
THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN PEOPLE WHO ARE SUPPOSED TO BE IN JAIL ARE LET LOOSE. RB, HIS WIFE, HIS SOME OF SONS AND COLLEAGUES ARE SUPPOSED TO BE IN JAIL. NOW, THAT JUSTICE IS BEING DENIED TO THE ZAMBIAN PEOPLE, THE CULPRITS WILL START LEGITIMATING THEIR PREVIOUS OFFENCES AND THE PEOPLE WILL START TO SYMPATHISE WITH THE SAME THIEVES. THOSE ARE THE RESULT OF ‘JUSTICE DELAYED’.
Let the fun begin.
“Mr Banda is also seeking an injunction restraining Chief Chisunka, whose names are Justine Haakamwaya”. Tonga bulls even produced a chief in Bembaland and you call them tribalist,think again.
#4 MIZ, this Chief is not a Bemba, is a tonga (look at his name Haakamwaya, the father is a tonga). and mansa is not a bemba land This is a bad move for RB, Chiluba made same mistake to sue Nawakwi and the rest is history.
@PF CADRE WITH RED CARD
How does a Tonga man become a chief of the Ushi people in Mansa? Just asking!
You will surprised how many bembas are in sinazongwe.Some know kalundu kanzovu as their only home.My point is ,the ordinary Zambian out there is being subjectede to divisive propaganda by politicians.Let the people continue living in harmony!
Chief Chisunka is a Zambian with a Tonga father and a Ushi mother. Us we have matrilineal system of inhertance andthat is why he is chief. And so he can represent both Luapula and Southern Provinces rightfully.
The father is or was tonga. one chief in mpika is a banda because of the matrilinial system. thats the goodness of inter-marriages you pipo
CHIEF CHISUNKA, youdont deserve to be a chief, GOD Created us all in his image therefore your foolish remarks is totally baseless and unfounded, We do expect good examples from you being a Chief,That’s absolutely Childish,Ignorant and Selfishness.
The next Chiwala of Ndola is a Phiri. lol.
Drama at its best. Justine wamuyasa mupati. Bio for justine: father tonga former police officer once stationed at mwense police station, went to nsakaluba primary skoo, worked as manager at kalomo restraunt before he was crowned chief. Há ahaha
amfumu analikuchita chimbuya aBanda, abemba akunyateni. Munatukwana aSata masiku onse anu muNyumba ya Ziko. Kumbukilani tyala kuti munajoya kale koma lelo nkalani chete tyala
Harmony between the bembas and tongas, very good for the country mwe… Chief Chisunka aka Haakamwaya
Is this all what RB learnt from students at question time in the Lectures he gave at Boston university? OR is it by coincidence? The man goes to lecture and comes back to sue a chief, what democracy is he teaching in Boston?What about his immunity? Suppose he loses the case can he be punished when his immunity is not lifted.
Its good that this chief has been sued.this is the same chief who when rb was in power was saying that he(chief) was impressed with rb’s leadership.i don’t like people who like changing stances against principles.mwanachingwala must be next to be sued by president sata.
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Rubbish! Who doesn’t know that Banda stole a lot anyway, and who says likening someone to a monkey makes him become one? His lawyers should have advised him better, the fool has run out of ideas and he is fighting a loosing battle. What goes up must come down!