Mbeta joins the Suleman debacle case

Attorney General Frank Mbeta has joined as an interested party, a court case in which Speaker of Parliament Sameer Suleman is challenging an injunction which one citizen Austin Mkoka obtained against the formation of 12 parliamentary committees to probe the operations of some statutory bodies.

Mbeta’s decision to join the matter comes after the Attorney General’s office had initially been expected to represent Suleman in the case, but had not committed to joining the proceedings as of Wednesday.

During a virtual hearing on Thursday, High Court Judge Allan Muhome informed the parties that Mbeta had applied on Wednesday to join the case as an interested party.

However, lawyer Bright Theu, representing Suleman, expressed surprise at Mbeta’s application, describing the Attorney General as a stranger to the proceedings since there had been no documents indicating that he would be joining the case.

Lawyer Chikosa Silungwe also urged the court to ensure that the parties adhere to the prescribed procedures and timelines for filing court documents.

Mbeta has asked the court for 10 days to file his documents, while lawyer Noel Supedi, representing Mkoka, said his client would require at least seven days to respond to the Attorney General’s filings.

Meanwhile,Judge Muhome has since adjourned the matter to November 5, 2026, when the case is expected to proceed.