Lawyer says Katsonga can’t cross the floor

Davies Katsonga, the lone legislator of Chipani Cha Pfuko (CCP), will not cross the floor if he decides to formally join another party in Parliament, a lawyer has said.

The lawyer’s comment comes against the background of CCP’s intention to deregister.

In a letter to the Registrar of Political Parties dated July 13 2014, the party said it wants to deregister because there are too many political parties in the country and that its manifesto is similar to that of the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

The party also says it has noted that the DPP is showing some seriousness in its management of government affairs.

CCP said its national executive committee meeting resolved to encourage its members to join DPP, according to the letter.

“We, therefore, as Chipani Cha Pfuko duly submit this resolution to your office for the deregistration of the party with immediate effect. We do this in accordance with the party’s constitution, Section 20(1) as amended,” said the letter signed by the party’s secretary general Wisiki Sadick.

Registrar General and Registrar of Political Parties Beauty Movete confirmed receiving the letter from CCP in an interview yesterday.

Commenting on the status of Katsonga if he decides to join DPP, lawyer Justin Dzonzi of Justice Link said since Katsonga is the only legislator of the party, he will not be affected by any movement to another party.

Said Dzonzi: “Even if the party is not deregistered, he will not have been affected if he joins another party because Section 65 of the Constitution does not apply when the party has only one legislator.”

Currently, the country has 49 registered political parties, according to Movete.

But Movete said a letter alone is not enough to deregister the party.

“There are forms that that need to be filled by those members that signed when the party was formed. They have to agree that the party should be de-registered,” she said.