Resign, LAZ president challenged

Fri, 02 Dec 2016 09:17:05 +0000

THE current Law Association of Zambia leadership has turned the organization into an appendage of an opposition political party and that is why its president Linda Kasonde allowed her Wednesday press briefing to be streamed live on the Facebook page of UPND president Hakainde Hichilema, Kennedy Kamba has charged.

However, UPND has declared that it will start streaming live all public events on its official Facebook page and accused the PF of attempting to close all forms of communication for the opposition party.

UPND spokesperson Charles Kakoma said: “Our media team will with immediate effect be transmitting live any public event we deem fit for our country with the view of lessening propaganda from those that want to hide the truth.”

Mr Kamba however said Ms Kasonde owed Zambians an explanation on why LAZ had adopted the language of UPND secretary general Stephen Katuka who had earlier this week accused the Patriotic Front and President Edgar Lungu of controlling the Judiciary.

Mr Kamba, who is PF Lusaka Province youth chairman, said it had become clear that the current LAZ had taken a partisan position at the expense of advocating and advancing the tenets of the justice system in the country.

He alleged that LAZ had taken a clear biased position against the executive and it would therefore be prudent for Ms Kasonde to consider resigning from her position as president because the association had been compromised.

He said the PF youths in Lusaka and the country as a whole would have no option but to begin considering LAZ as a political party because the association had lost its neutrality on matters that involved the political discourse of the country.

Mr Kamba said the PF would be justified to suspect that the current LAZ was sympathetic to the UPND because on countless times, the opposition party had made disparaging remarks against the Judiciary and individuals and was never reprimanded by the association.

“There is confusion in the current LAZ because of the partisan position the association has taken. The only remedy for LAZ to regain its legitimacy, faith and confidence is for Ms Kasonde to resign as president. How could LAZ have streamed live its press briefing to discuss President Lungu’s spokesperson Amos Chanda on Mr Hichilema’s Facebook?

‘‘Surely Zambians need to know why the UPND leader was given the privilege of streaming live Ms Kasonde’s press briefing,” Mr Kamba wondered.

Mr Kamba recalled that Mr Hichilema verbally abused Constitutional Court judges by branding them thugs and criminals and that Zambians were expecting LAZ to reprimand the UPND leader but to their surprise and dismay, Ms Kasonde remained mute.

He explained that Mr Chanda did not say anything wrong to warrant a reprimand from LAZ.

Mr Kamba claimed that on countless times he had heard the comments of some judges in public social places and what judges were discussing was what was being delivered in the courts as judgments.

“President Lungu has been criticised for creating the National Guidance and Religious Affairs. The legislature has been criticised for proposing that the Amended Constitution should be amended to address lacunas and why should the Judiciary believe it is immune from criticism. We know for a fact that there are some members of the Judiciary who are working with the opposition,” Mr Kamba said.