NGOCC ‘mourns’ MP Mabonga jailing
By Mast Reporter
THE rule of law must be applied consistently and impartially to all citizens rather than selective application of the law as the case is now, the Non-Governmental Gender Organisations’ Coordinating Council (NGOCC) has said.
Commenting on the sentencing of Patriotic Front (PF) member of Parliament for Mfuwe Constituency Maureen Mabonga to eight months imprisonment, NGOCC board chairperson Beauty Katebe said her organisation was concerned about the selective application of the law reflected by the imprisonment of Mabonga.
“While we fully respect the decisions of the courts of law, we firmly believe that the rule of law must be applied consistently and impartially to all citizens. Unfortunately, we have observed a concerning trend where critics of the government appear more likely to face prosecution and incarceration than those perceived to be aligned with the ruling authorities,” Katebe said in a statement made available to the Mast at the weekend.
Mabonga was sentenced to eight months simple imprisonment on two counts of seditious practices for the remarks she made in reaction to threats by UPND cadres.
Katebe said the rule of law was a cornerstone of democratic governance and should be rooted in fairness, justice and equal treatment of every individual under the law.
“There should be no preferential treatment for anyone who breaks the law, regardless of political affiliation. The incarceration of Hon Mabonga is particularly disheartening as it further diminishes the already limited number of female representatives in Parliament,” she said.
Katebe said Mabonga’s incarceration had significantly affected women participation in politics.
“This is a significant setback, especially at a time when the nation should be focused on increasing the participation of women in leadership ahead of the 2026 general elections. We therefore take this opportunity to urge all female politicians to build on the current numbers and inspire more women to stand for political office,” she said.
Katebe also urged female MPs to exhibit high levels of discipline in their conduct.
“It is imperative that female lawmakers uphold the highest standards of conduct and operate within the confines of the law, placing greater emphasis on serving their constituents rather than engaging in partisan politics. As NGOCC [we] expresses our profound sadness regarding the incarceration of Hon Mabonga and extends its sympathy to her and the Zambia Women Parliamentary Caucus during this difficult time.
As an organisation, we remain committed to advocating for women’s increased participation in decision-making processes and ensuring that gender equality remains at the forefront of our national agenda,” Katebe said.
On Friday, Lusaka magistrate Trevor Kasanda jailed Mabonga after finding her guilty of seditious practices in one count, but acquitted her in the second count.
Kasanda also fined her K1,600.
The jailing of Mabonga comes after she was accused of making seditious remarks in May last year.
According to the charges, Mabonga uttered words deemed seditious by the State, including “Do you want us to be moving with guns? Start killing each other? Is this where we are going? Is this what we want as Zambians? Because we can do it”.
Mabonga uttered the words in reaction to public threats by known UPND cadres that Southern Province was a ‘no go’ area for former Lumezi MP Munir Zulu and Easterners for the allegedly demeaning remarks he had made about the people of Bweengwa earlier.
Zulu had said the people of Lumezi Constituency were more intelligent than the people of Bweengwa, for which he was arrested and prosecuted.
But the UPND cadres who had uttered the threats against Zulu and the people of Eastern Province at a press briefing were never arrested or even warned by the police, and remain free to date.
The prosecution argued that Mabonga’s remarks were intended to incite violence or disrupt public peace.
