LAZ told to shut up

Sat, 11 Feb 2017 09:32:06 +0000

THE Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) should shut up and not comment on matters of national interest anymore because they have been a letdown, says 3rd Liberation Movement (3rd LM) president Enock Tonga

Mr Tonga claimed that LAZ was capable of misleading the nation

In an interview with Daily Nation, Mr Tonga said that it was better for LAZ which he said had failed to give its position on several matters of national interest to keep quiet and not comment on anything.

He was reacting to the pronouncement by LAZ that it was ready to give its position on the debate whether Zambia should leave the International Criminal Court (ICC) or not.

Mr Tonga said that Zambians were no longer interested in getting guidance on any matters from LAZ because it had not been available when needed.

He explained that the association had been reluctant in commenting on issues that they had an interest in or against their interest.

Mr Tonga wondered why LAZ had expressed interest in commenting on the ICC issue when they had failed to give their position on the eligibility of President Edgar Lungu to contest the 2021 general elections.

“The best that LAZ can do this time is just shut up, why suddenly express interest in the ICC matter when they failed to guide on the eligibility of the president to stand in 2021. This association has clearly failed to live up to its mandate, it only comments on social economic or issues that are in its favour”

Mr Tonga said that LAZ had failed to be independent and that it had always been more politically inclined.

Meanwhile, Zambia Direct Democracy Movement (ZDDM) vice president Charles Kafumbo has observed that LAZ had in the recent past been looking for mistakes in the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) Government’s engagements to use against it.

He said in an interview with Daily Nation that the association had even forgotten its original mandate and was now bent on discrediting Government.

Mr Kafumbo was reacting to LAZ’s stance that the directive by Inspector general of police Kakoma Kanganja barring police officers from marrying foreigners was illegal and in breach of the republican constitution.

He pointed out that security officers the world over were not allowed to marry foreigners and that was the case in Zambia.