MP plans private member’s Bill against LAZ

Mon, 05 Dec 2016 12:36:23 +0000

 “I WILL have no choice but to move a private member’s Bill in Parliament to clip the wings of the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) if the association is going to continue with its clear partisan position instead of seeking to improve the justice system in the country,’’ Tutwa Ngulube has warned.

Mr Ngulube, who is Kabwe Central Patriotic Front (PF) Member of Parliament and a member of LAZ, said at a media interactive forum that he was disappointed with the partisan stance the association had taken.

He charged that it was beyond LAZ’s mandate for the association to get actively involved in political issues when it was supposed to be non-partisan.

He warned that he would be compelled to move a motion in Parliament to amend the Act that outlined LAZ’s mandate if it did not desist from its alleged partisan stance.

“I’m really disappointed with LAZ for taking such a partisan stance; it’s an institution that I’m supposed to protect as a member but this is disappointing. But if they continue with their partisan stance, of which they are not supposed to, I will be forced to move a motion in Parliament to shut them up,” said Mr Ngulube.

Mr Ngulube explained that LAZ was established by an Act of Parliament to regulate legal practitioners in Zambia and that they were only supposed to provide guidance to Government in a professional way where need be.

He however pointed out that the Patriotic Front government still wanted to maintain a cordial relationship with the association and that it should be allowed to fulfill its mandate.

And Kasama Member of Parliament Kelvin Sampa pointed out that LAZ had erred in its reaction to Presidential spokesperson Amos Chanda’s comments on the Judiciary because judges were susceptible to criticism.

Mr Sampa said that LAZ had allegedly chosen to exaggerate Mr Chanda’s statement because it had in the recent past been siding with the opposition United Party for National Development (UPND).

He said that after scrutinizing Mr Chanda’s interview on ZNBC, it was clear that LAZ had given a partisan reaction to his statement during a press briefing beamed live on UPND president’s Facebook page.

Mr Sampa also said that he would look into the possibility of tabling before Parliament a private member’s Bill that would ensure that the association was kept in check.

He said that PF had always respected the Judiciary and that it would continue doing so even in the wake of the petition rulings.

Mr Sampa however pointed out that Zambia deserved an effective Judiciary that was above reproach and that it was the only way it could dispense justice without appearing compromised.