Thu, 01 Dec 2016 09:25:56 +0000
THE Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) has been challenged to explain why its press briefing yesterday was streamed live on UPND president Hakainde Hichilema’s facebook.
LAZ has also been challenged to explain why it had failed to chastise Mr Hichilema who had with impunity branded Constitutional Court Judges thugs and criminals who according to him had raped the country’s Constitution and were therefore not worth the gowns they are wearing.
Sunday Chanda, the Patriotic Front (PF) media committee members said it was shocking that LAZ failed to categorically condemn Mr Hichilema insulting the judiciary yet found it convenient to condemn presidential spokesperson Amos Chanda for advising the Judiciary not to be seen to participate in politics.
Mr Chanda has said Zambians were equally wondering why LAZ had failed to condemn The Mast newspaper for branding the Judiciary in the country as useless and corrupt.
He said the current law association leadership had exhibited the worst forms of hypocrisy in the history of LAZ by glossing over Mr Hichilema’s insults against the Judiciary and individual judges but had criticized members of the executive and legislature on matters that were of genuine concern.
“These are the double standards we are deeply concerned about and which are taking away the growth of the judicial system in the country. We, as citizens, support President Edgar Lungu and the PF because of the strong belief in strong institutions of governance meant to entrench democracy and good governance,” Mr Chanda said.
“Unfortunately, we are forced to deal with the LAZ who have shown predilection and is treating every citizen as being naïve. Mr Hichilema has grossly used very strong abusive language against the Judiciary and Judges calling them thugs and criminals not worth the gowns they wear. Mr Hichilema called Constitutional Court Judges criminals who had raped the Constitution and yet LAZ has never chastised the opposition leader but instead the Association has chosen to use the same language against the executive.”
Mr Chanda observed that the courts of law can scarcely afford any loss of faith and integrity from the general public and that it was disappointing that LAZ and the UPND seemed to have been rehearsing their language and were using the same against the executive.
He said President Lungu’s press aide did not attack the Judiciary but only expressed concern at the manner some judges were handling the election petitions which seemed to suggest that the Judiciary was attempting to participate in politics.
Mr Chanda said it was Mr Hichilema who had branded some Constitutional Court judges corrupt for having allegedly received large sums of money to rule in favour of President Lungu in a case he was petitioned against his victory in the last general elections. Yesterday, LAZ president Linda Kasonde failed to categorically condemn the UPND and The Mast newspaper for attacking the Judiciary but spent a lot of time lambasting Amos Chanda at a briefing that streamed live on Mr Hichilema’s Facebook page.
In her statement, Ms Kasonde explained that the purpose of the Judiciary in any functioning democracy was to interpret the law and that it should not be attacked for executing its duties.
