By SIMON MUNTEMBA
IT is illegal for President Hakainde Hichilema to transfer autonomous constitutional commissions to being units under his office, PF vice president Given Lubinda has said.
Mr Lubinda explained that according to Article 235 of the constitution of Zambia, establishment of constitutional commissions is ratified by Parliament.
He said the decision by the new administration of President Hichilema to put the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC), the newly created Anti Financial and Economics Crimes Commission, and Office of the Public Protector, among other institutions, under his Office was unconstitutional.
“I would like to remind President Hichilema that the ACC, DEC and FIC are established by the supreme law of the land, they are established by Article 235 of the constitution of Zambia. They are not commissions established under the Enquiries Act Cap 41 section 2 which empowers him to establish the any kind of the commission,” Mr Lubinda said.
He said there was a big distinction between commissions that the President could establish using Act Cap 41 section and those that were established by the constitution.
He also said the signing of a new loan agreement by the UPND administration in the absence of the Attorney General and Parliament approval was wrong.
Meanwhile, Mr Lubinda said it was unacceptable for President Hichilema to promote ‘ an eye for an eye’ instead of reconciling the nation.
He said the President’s remarks during a radio phone-in programme that attacks on PF were natural reactions was uncalled for and he should retract it.
He reminded the Head of State that he was President for all Zambians, including criminals.
“I want to remind President Hichilema that he is President for all including criminals and not only for the holy ones. He swore to defend the constitution of the country,” he said.
He further challenged the Human Rights Communication and the International communities to condemn the harassment and torture of PF members by the UPND cadres.
He warmed that PF members were not weak and their meekness should not be taken for granted.
” We are not weak and our being meek should not be taken for granted. We don’t want to act the same way the UPND behaved while in opposition where they encouraged their members to defend themselves, because we will be adding fuel and recipe for anarchy,” he said
