Zambia’s President Hakainde Hichilema has now sacked three top judges he previously suspended over alleged judicial misconduct, drawing further accusations of political interference in the judiciary.

The three Constitutional Court judges presided over a presidential petition in 2016 in which they dismissed Hichilema’s challenge against the election victory of former President Edgar Lungu.

They also took part in a controversial ruling allowing Lungu to stand in the 2021 elections, despite having twice served as Zambia’s president.

Their dismissal comes after they lost a court application for a review of a judicial panel’s decision recommending their suspension.

On Sunday evening, a statement released by the presidency said they had been “removed with immediate effect” following a recommendation by the Judicial Complaints Commission (JCC).

“The removal of the judges is in exercise of the powers vested in the President under [the Zambian constitution],” it said.

The three judges – Justice Annie Sitali, Justice Mungeni Mulenga, and Justice Palan Mulonda – have not publicly commented on the matter.

The JCC had investigated them over allegations of gross misconduct following a complaint by Moses Kalonde, a private citizen.

Last year, the JCC rejected a complaint from lawyer Joseph Busenga, who had petitioned for the removal of the three judges, alleging that they had mishandled the 2016 election petition.

There has been mixed reactions to the dismissal of the judges.

Political tensions have been in rising in Zambia ahead of elections in 2026, when Hichilema and Lungu are expected to face each other for a fourth time.

Social and political commentator Laura Miti says informed Zambians are split between those who feel this is a legal but self-serving move by the president and others who back him.

“My view is that the judges misbehaved spectacularly in the presidential petition in 2016. That being true this comes across as the president exacting revenge for their judgment which is highly concerning,” she told the BBC.

But Makebi Zulu, Lungu’s lawyer in the case, termed the move an “illegality” telling the BBC that “it was executive overreach aimed at interfering with the independence of the judiciary”.

“No judge should be disciplined for carrying out their judicial function,” he said.

Under Zambia’s constitution, all judges, including the chief justice, are appointed by the president upon the recommendation of the JCC and with the approval of the National Assembly.

Political analyst Sishuwa Sishuwa says the “reality is that we will always have the problem of incompetent and unqualified judges as long as the process of appointment is led by the executive.

“It does not matter who is in power,” he posted on X, adding that a “structured and broad-minded approach” is more beneficial than “targeted and individual changes”.

Source: bbc.com

The top-secret documents highlight that Israel is mobilizing military assets in preparation for a military response to Iran’s recent ballistic missile attack on October 1.

The United States government is investigating the unauthorized release of classified documents that detail Israel’s military strategies concerning a potential attack on Iran.

According to three U.S. officials who spoke to the Associated Press, a fourth source confirmed the legitimacy of the documents, which were attributed to the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) and the National Security Agency (NSA).

The top-secret documents highlight that Israel is mobilizing military assets in preparation for a military response to Iran’s recent ballistic missile attack on October 1.

Notably, the documents were sharable within the intelligence-sharing alliance known as the “Five Eyes,” which includes the U.S., Great Britain, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia.

First reported by CNN and Axios, the sensitive materials were posted on the Telegram messaging app, prompting immediate concerns over national security.

Officials, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, revealed that the investigation is probing the origins of the leak, including whether it stemmed from an intentional disclosure by someone within the U.S. intelligence community or if it was acquired through alternative means such as hacking.

AP reports that the U.S. has urged Israel to capitalize on the elimination of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar by pushing for a cease-fire in Gaza.

The U.S. has also strongly cautioned Israel against escalating military operations in northern Lebanon, warning of the potential for a wider regional conflict.

Despite this, Israeli leadership has reiterated its stance of responding decisively to missile attacks from Iran.

In a statement, the Pentagon acknowledged awareness of the leaked documents but declined to provide further comment.

The Israeli military has not yet responded to inquiries regarding the leak of two documents, which first surfaced online Friday via a Telegram channel claiming the leak originated from within the U.S. intelligence community.

The information appears to have been compiled through satellite image analysis.

One of the leaked documents was formatted similarly to materials from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, previously leaked by Jack Teixeira, an Air National Guardsman who pleaded guilty in March to charges related to disclosing highly classified military documents concerning Russia’s war in Ukraine and other national security matters.

The Telegram channel responsible for the leak identifies itself as based in Tehran, Iran’s capital, and has previously shared content featuring Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as well as material supporting Tehran’s so-called “Axis of Resistance,” which includes militant groups in the Middle East armed by the Islamic Republic.

NO fewer than seven people have died after part of a ferry dock collapsed in Georgia’s Sapelo Island on Saturday, October 20, 2024.

Georgia’s department of natural resources, which operates the dock, said at least 20 people plunged into the water when the gangway collapsed.

The incident happened at approximately 16:30 local time (20:30 GMT) at the Marsh Landing Dock as crowds gathered for a cultural celebration.

Multiple people have been taken to hospital and search and rescue operations are under way.

US President Joe Biden said he and his wife Jill mourn the lives lost and “pray for the injured and anyone still missing”.

It is not yet known what caused the collapse of the walkway, which connected an outer dock where people board the ferry to another dock onshore, according to local reports.

Brian Kemp, the governor of Georgia, said he and his family were “heartbroken” by the tragedy and asked for prayers “for those lost, for those still in harm’s way, and for their families”.

The governor has sent “state resources to aid in search, rescue, & recovery”, Georgia representative Buddy Carter said in a post on X.
Biden said his team “stand ready to provide any and all assistance that would be helpful to the community”.

Local authorities said the gangway has been secured and the incident is under investigation.

Tyler Jones, a spokesperson for Georgia’s National Resources Department, said there was “no collision,” according to the Associated Press agency.

The thing just collapsed,” he said. “We don’t know why.”
Pastor Jerald Thomas of the nearby Elm Grove Church went to the scene to help.

“They came together quickly, and they began to send the necessary things that was needed in order to make the people stay while they were going through this tragic time,” he told local outlet WTOC.

People had gathered Saturday to celebrate the island’s community of Hogg Hummock, which is home to a few dozen black residents.

Hogg Hummock was founded by newly-freed former enslaved people from plantations in coastal Georgia who settled on Sapelo Island following the US Civil War, the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation said on its website.

Saturday’s event “should have been a joyous celebration of Gullah-Geechee culture and history instead turned into tragedy and devastation”, President Biden said in his statement.