Friday, March 29, 2024

Lusaka High Court dismisses application by LAZ to join Post Newspaper Petition

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LAZ President Linda Kasonde
LAZ President Linda Kasonde
The Lusaka High Court has dismissed an application by the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) to join the winding up petition involving the Post Newspapers Limited and some of its former employees.

High Court Judge Sunday Nkonde said that the application by LAZ lacks merit and has since rejected it.

Judge Nkonde explained in his ruling that allowing LAZ to join the case as friend of the court may only delay the disposal of the proceedings to the prejudice of the parties.

He has since encouraged LAZ to apply to join as a friend of the court especially in human rights litigations involving or affecting the vulnerable and marginalized persons in society.

Judge Nkonde said that LAZ should do this with the same zeal it has exhibited in the case of The Post newspapers in liquidation.

LAZ had applied to join the winding up petition involving the Post Newspapers Limited and some of its former employees, saying the case has potential to affect public perception and confidence in the Judiciary.

According to an affidavit in support for an order for joinder sworn by LAZ president Linda Kasonde, the organisation argued that the case had generated significant media attention and interest in the general public which had become a concern for the association.

79 COMMENTS

  1. The fascination of Linda and LAZ to align to UPND and anything that is against Lungu – and it is Lungu and not PF or Government is unacceptable.

    This is now personal and quiet frankly it is rubbing me the wrong way.

    I’m disgusted and it has spoilt my weekend as I lie down in my double bed with white sheets and blue pillow.

    What’s going on ?

    Thanks

    BB2014,2016

    • “He has since encouraged LAZ to apply to join as a friend of the court especially in human rights litigations involving or affecting the vulnerable and marginalized persons in society.

      Judge Nkonde said that LAZ should do this with the same zeal it has exhibited in the case of The Post newspapers in liquidation”………..very true.

    • Obviously, yes indeed, it lacked all manner of merit.

      I have never seen lawyers behave this biased and so partisan.

      The judge had to guide and lecture them on what should be their conduct and attitude.

      They should save public interest and should choose to join cases as friends of the court in cases involving the underprivileged and vulnerable.

      How does recovery of tax by ZRA from the Post newspaper, a private firm, serve private interest, and refusal by a Post to pay the tax to ZRA serve public interest?

      For those who have problems understanding even little things late me summarize the preceeding sentence.

      How does LAZ think ZRA is serving private interest when they collect tax from the post newspaper?

      And how is it in the interest if the public the refusal by the…

    • And how is it in the interest if the public the refusal by the Post newspaper to pay tax, which LAZ is supporting?

      LAZ under Linda, or is it Linda under LAZ has been the worsest LAZ has ever been.

    • ARE LAZ REALLY QUALIFIED LAWYERS. ONE DOES NOT EVEN NEED TO BE A LAWYER TO BE ON THE SIDE OF THE VULNERABLE AS JUDGE NKONDE ADVISED THE LAZ CLUB. MAYBE I AM MISUNDERSTANDING THE LAW JAGON. BUT, DOESN’T THE LAZ UNDERSTAND THE EVADING OF TAX- THE IMPLICATION IT HAS ON THE RUNNING OF GOVERNMENT AND HOW IT AFFECTS THE VULNERABLE SOCIETY? HOW CAN THE LAZ SIDE WITH THE BUSINESS WHICH IS AVOIDING TO PAY TAX? IF THE LAZ HASN’T GOT COMMON SENSE (LET ALONE LEGAL SENSE) WHO DO THEY EXPECT TO HAVE THESE SENSES? LAZ ARE SHOCKINGLY INCOMPETENT.

    • Sunday Nkonde and Sunday Chanda – Same difference! As long as ‘ The Post’ is\was owned by a non Bemba, forget credible justice. That’s how things are in Zambia now! A dangerous path to follow.

    • The confusion in LAZ is so visible because of combining regulation and association. Regulation should be removed from LAZ so that it just remain as an association. Look at other professionals; Health workers in Zambia have Health Professionals Council of Zambia with members belonging to different associations such as Medical Association of Zambia, Biomedical Association of Zambia, Public Health Association of Zambia etc. The same applies to Nurses and Teachers were we have Nursing Council of Zambia and Teaching Council of Zambia respectively. For lawyers I propose the formation of Legal Council of Zambia with members belonging to different associations depending on their field of specialization.

    • So strange indeed, just how? So laz is now a political? This Linda is a danger to the law professional.

    • The next LAZ president will find it very hard to repair the damage caused by this woman. How much has she eaten from these crooks kanshi?

    • The fascination of Mushota and Others to align to PF and anything that is against HH– and it is HH and not UPND or Opposition is unacceptable.

      This is now personal and quiet frankly it is rubbing me the wrong way.

      I’m disgusted and it has spoilt my weekend as I lie down in my double bed with white sheets and blue pillow.

      What’s going on ?

      Thanks.

    • Mushota the freedom that you are enjoying today to write any nonsense and get away with it is 100% due to the Post Newspaper and its gallant Managing Editor Fred M’membe. Fred did align with politician of the likes of Mwanawasa and Sata and compromised his independence but backtrack to 1991, HE was one of the 5 persons (two of them are dead, Mr. Penza and Dean Mungomba) who spearheaded the change from one-party state to multiparty.
      From Weekly Post to The Post, he stood KK, Chiluba, Mwanawasa, RB, Lungu, sometimes for his personal interest but in most of the times for independence of newspapers, freedom of speech and assembly.

      Linda is right. Unfortunately I know Sunday Nkonde better than his wife, from City Club days. He is a sell-out to the Establishment.
      Come three years time,…

    • Wolves fighting for bones from the spoil. That is what is happening in Zambia. People in positions are not genuine. They make noise everyday, not to genuinely make our country a better place to live in, rather they just want to seize opportunities to loot our country. We have thieves in offices guys. Zambians rise and claim for sanity back into our Zambian society.

  2. THE JUDGE WAS SPOT ON.I THINK THE ZEAL AND ENTHUSIASM WITH WHICH LINDA WANTS TO JOIN THIS CASE RAISES A LOT OF SUSPICION. A LOT OF POOR PEOPLE LANGUISH WITHOUT HELP FROM LINDA. BUT WHEN IT COMES TO “THE POST” AND THE UPND PETITION IN WHICH SHE HAS INTEREST, SHE MOVES AT LIGHTENING SPEED. LINDA SHOULD DECLARE INTEREST.

  3. “He has since encouraged LAZ to apply to join as a friend of the court especially in human rights litigations involving or affecting the vulnerable and marginalized persons in society.

    Judge Nkonde said that LAZ should do this with the same zeal it has exhibited in the case of The Post newspapers in liquidation.”………Slap in the face!!

    • The judge could not make it better than that.

      Even newborns know that LAZ has been messed up.

      Linda’s legacy as LAZ president will be remembered as one who embarrassed the law fraternity in Zambia.

      While other women in other institutions are doing their best to show that women and men have equal capacity to do things, Linda is busy negating.

      We already know that women and men are just the same in terms of capacities, so I don’t know just what is wrong with Linda.

      Linda, Linda, please! No integrity, remorse or shame at all.

  4. The attempted joinder by this proud, elitist crook Linda Kasonde has exposed UPND and the Useless Ponyio Nyio Dogs in a very bad light.
    The whole lot of them Linda, Kaponya (HH) GBM, Charlotte, Scott Mmembe Inc are economic mercenaries who have never meant well for our country. Had they won the election, these Boer mercenary Bantustan thugs would have raeped the economy. Linda musa tanyio what a PR!ck!

  5. Please show a full photo of Linda kasonde not the same passport photo taken when she was still married to Mr White Mwanza in 2013. I envy her strong stand ON HER PROFESSION, she sued her own husband over wearing different socks due her birthday bash that was at home, don’t play with lawyers u marry she can sue u for anything using relevant clauses e.g ukashula mu bed , singing loud, luck or too much kunyenga, bad moods eish too numerous to mention. @ mushota where is NICK on your double bed

  6. Had Hadolf Hitler (HH) won the election, Zambia was going to be auctioned. Just see for yourself how the economy has improved in the last few days since the lumpen Kaponya was incarcerated?
    GBV has abandoned him and Nevers is salivating, plotting to take over the helm of UPND. The arsonists have been arrested and Mutinta is going the way of Xavier Chungu’s wife.
    The state has done a good job by protecting us from these spear wielding thugs. Linda Kasonde is a digrace to the institution of Law. What a pr!ck this clown. Why side with Mmembe who never payed tax?

    • PF were starting those fires to show the country needs fire tenders and now IMF are in the country and the fire tenders have been bought by PF caders they have ordered a stop to the fires.

    • PF were starting fires to show Zambia needs fire trucks at more than $ 1million each for used trucks…….. $42 million for 42 used trucks.
      Kaizer zulu and tasila lungu were contracted to bring in those trucks.

      Now IMF are in Zambia and the theives have stolen tax payers money they have stoped the fires.

  7. Zambia has seen peace at last since 2011 when UPND started tormenting the Late His Excellency MCS. This thug Linda and her hooligans are the ones who called our father of the nation an “Ailing Dictator Urine Bag”.
    Peace has come thanks to his Excellency President Lungu for his inspirational leadership. The economy is improving since Hadolf Hitler was arrested

  8. @Mushota #1

    “Mushota is disgusting & “he” has spoiled my weekend as I visualized “him” laying on a rug tag bed with black sheets and yellow pillow, full ERECTION on, wanking vigorously over a picture of no other than Linda Kasonde!”

  9. Obviously, yes indeed, it lacked all manner of merit.

    I have never seen lawyers behave this biased and so partisan.

    The judge had to guide and lecture them on what should be their conduct and attitude.

    They should save public interest and should choose to join cases as friends of the court in cases involving the underprivileged and vulnerable.

    Linda, Linda, please – “we want to serve public interest”. Which public

    How does LAZ think ZRA is serving private interest when they collect tax from the post newspaper?

    And how is it in the interest if the public the refusal by the Post newspaper, a private firm, to pay tax, which LAZ is supporting?

    LAZ under Linda, or is it Linda under LAZ has been the worsest LAZ has ever been.

  10. It is not Linda alone. It is most Lawyers. Look at the astronomical fees they have now come up with.

    • Leadership has always been about influence.

      Any leader who says it is not me but my subordinates too is not fit to be a leader.

      As a leader, if your team wants your organisation to do wrong things which you don’t agree with, you must challenge.

      If you can’t challenge, you either resign or embrace.

      If you embrace as a leader, you own what you have embraced.

      So, as a leader, whatever has been done by LAZ has has been done by Linda.

      Linda is responsible or she is a decor.

  11. Mmembe is really a man kicking his last efforts before he dies. He thought he was untouchable.

    If Linda wants to help The Post, she must do it under her Private Law Firm. And not use LAZ. If there is any interest from the public, its the fact that the public wants Mmembe to pay his taxes.

    The sooner, Linda leaves the Chairwoman-ship,the better for LAZ.

    Whats up?? Is Mmembe blackmailing this woman ( Linda ). ‘Cause these are the games Fred has played for many years.He collects info of someone then he blackmails them. He did it to Mwanawasa, Sata etc

    • Why is lungu not arresting membe ??an arrest warrant was issued for him hiding post assets or was that just another politically motivated arrest warrant from lungu ??

    • @ 13.1 Spaka like lilo,

      Why can’t you arrest M’membe yourself.

      As far as I know Lungu and you are just the same – none if you is a policeman.

      May be you are, in which case you are a bad one.

  12. Thank Justice Nkonde, so the judiciary has noticed too? I mean LAZ giving free representation to the elite including the $100,000 per month “socialist” Mmembe. On Mmembe’s salary at the Past I am waiting to hear a comment from Mr Kabimba and his Rainbow.

    LAZ, are you with us or with us?….kikikikikiki

    Or with Mmembe and UPND?
    By the way LAZ, are you preparing to be jointed to the Treason case too?

  13. While laz is standing up for the remaining and last independent media in Zambia in order to fight for our freedom of information this judge is instead standing up for her employer lungu the drunk rat. The judiciary in Zambia is now a sham. I would rather take justice in my own hands than have those pf cadres decide my case

    • Bemba man I thought we have to wait for the pf police to issue a statement and then for the same pf police to dictate to us what happened and then for the pf police to also decide who was wrong and who was right.

    • Nez the same sham judiciary are the ones presiding on you demi gods matters.
      So if I were you I would tone down a bit. If you really love your president tone down. He is not in a good place and you should sober up in you blogging other wise what you are doing is just putting your leader in a tight corner. Free advise take it or leave it.

  14. LAZ has never been a branch of the ruling party. It be unip, mmd or pf. Some day the hens will come to roost for those undermining the separation of powers. Kambwili thought he was all powerful & was attacking the post, Tongas etc. Now he needs the post /mast which his government shut down!

  15. Meanwhile ,Mr Fred Meembe is silently destroying Edgar Lungu’s image to Zambia’s longstanding bilateral partners.Millions of dollars in budgetary support which Levy Mwanawasa,RB and Sata benefited from is drying up.
    PF has to deal with huge Eurobond repayments ,unpaid salaries to civil servants and big government expenditure.
    IMF is pretending to be interested.Soon there will be no money to pay the PF corrupt Judges,Lawyers,Cadres.Even increasing the electricity tariffs will be a drop in the ocean.
    ZAMBIANS BRACE YOURSELVES..2021 is 4 years away.

    • Well done membe. Continue the good work of exposing this wannabe dictator to the west.

      As private citizens worried that IMF funds will be used by lungu to further error our democratic freedoms we are also launching complaints to the IMF ethics board…..expressing our concerns.

      We don’t want another mugabe in Zambia.

    • @independent: you over value these people who want to discredit ECL and the PF. How can Fred destroy a whole country’s image because of one president?? How powerful is he?? What about the investments the western countries have made in this country, eg FQM, Glencore, LaFarge etc. You think those supernational companies will just sit and let ka African like m’membe affect their investments?? These guys fund republicans, conservatives, democrats etc and influence the foreign policy of these governments. Western economists have already told their govts. that the copper price is rebounding, and those govts. know that is more money in their coffers-then ka m’membe should affect all that?? They will even push the IMF to push our govt. to create a more enabling environment so they can pour in…

    • …more dollars in our economy and reap out billions in return!! IF THERE WAS NOTHING FOR THEM TO GAIN HERE, THE IMF WOULD HAVE NOT EVEN COME BACK.

    • Zambian citizen

      “How can Fred destroy a whole country’s image ..”

      It is not membe doing the destroying he is merely exposing the wannabe dictator.

      If you think those companies would rather have another mugabe in zambia than a free democratic country you have a lot to learn about the west and their companies.

    • @Spaka: You think when Donald Trump sits with his G7 partners; the German Chancellor, the British Prime Minister, the Japanese Prime Minister etc. they consult people like m’membe or hh?? NO!! They have political and economic advisers who in turn depend on for example the EU or Commonwealth election monitors to give them an update on a country’s situation. The British High Commissioner on behalf on the British government, who are G7 partners, recognise ECL and tell their partners things are normal in Zambia. To them, fred is just another African who they won’t care about, he will have no bearing on their foreign policy. Right now the British have confirmed hh was wrong, so the Americans, Japanese, French will follow what the British say; There is no dictatorship according to them but…

    • “The British High Commissioner on behalf on the British government, who are G7 partners, recognise ECL and tell their partners things are normal in Zambia”…..LOL
      Just watch as the government institutions crumble….NHA in liquidation(properties seized)…Council workers salaries arrears not paid…Judicial workers demand for salary increase…the list is growing…

    • Zambian citizen

      The west and their companies support a country in this order.. .

      1. Strategic importance
      2.mineral wealth.
      3. Democratic credentials.

      If you are a strategically important country like eygpt or uganda the west can trun a blind eye to your dictatorial tendencies

      If you are a country rich in minerals or oil like Kuwait, you can get away with democratic oppression.

      Lastly if you have non of those 2 but you are a democratic country the west will support you.

      Zambia has non of the above. Only rubbish copper. Only a drain to their tax payers aid money. Expect lungu to find the world a harsh place.

    • @independent: how will these institutions crumble?? NHA is not ECLs baby, it has been hemorrhaging since privatization. Council problems have nothing to do with PF as this problem was not tackled by MMD. You are the same people who predicted food riots before 2016 elections but what happened?? None of that, so it is hard to believe you doomsaying!! @Spaka: you bring conspiracy theories now?? please my friend, let’s debate on real issues!!

  16. Very true Judge Sunday Nkonde. There are thousands of people in the Remand Prison who do not have access to lawyers or can’t afford to pay a lawyer and need legal representation why not LAZ help them???

    It’s so sad that honourable Judge had to remind LAZ. It appears that there are two kinds of laws in Zambia one law for the rich and the other for the poor.

    So many Zambia’s have been issued with certificate of committal by the DPP and no accused has had there certificate of committal been allowed for an enquiry by the magistrates.
    No one is taking about the poor in prison who can not afford a lawyer.

  17. The judge could not make it better than that.

    Even newborns know that LAZ has been messed up.

    Linda’s legacy as LAZ president will be remembered as one who embarrassed the law fraternity in Zambia.

    While other women in other institutions are doing their best to show that women and men have equal capacity to do things, Linda is busy negating.

    We already know that women and men are just the same in terms of capacities, so I don’t know just what is wrong with Linda.

    Linda, Linda, please! No integrity, remorse or shame at all.

  18. You can’t say it is not Linda alone.

    Leadership has always been about influence.

    Any leader who says it is not me but my subordinates too is not fit to be a leader.

    As a leader, if your team wants your organisation to do wrong things which you don’t agree with, you must challenge.

    If you can’t challenge, you either resign or embrace.

    If you embrace as a leader, you own what you have embraced.

    So, as a leader, whatever has been done by LAZ has has been done by Linda.

    Linda is responsible or she is a decor.

  19. The Post was the largest independent newspaper that help ushered in Multi-party politics and democracy.It is an institution that exposed government corruption leading to the conviction of a former head of state.
    You can’t underestimate its importance to Zambia and compare it to an ordinary individual.Well,Sunday Nkonde will soon realize this and understand why LAZ was trying to protect it.
    ZAMBIANS BRACE YOURSELVES..2021 is 4 years away.

    • Independent from what? Independent from government but not independent from Mmembe?

  20. We are blessed that we even have LAZ speaking for the public, in countries like Zimbabwe and Uganda the people don’t have a voice

  21. Zambians at large do require the services of Lawyers in many ways that include preparation of Title Deeds, Wills, acquisition of Shares, etc. The calibre of Lawyers, such as those close to the famous CARTEL to which Linda Kasonde is Member, means that the ordinary Zambians, must develop their own personal database to enlist two categories of Lawyers:
    (a) List of Dishonest Lawyers thriving by exploiting clients for the sake of money;
    (b) List of honest Professional Lawyers committed to delivering excellent legal services with integrity.
    Should the need for legal services arise, then the database will help us make wise choices for Legal Practitioners.

  22. Concur with 1.8 @Voice of Wilderness , and 1.3 @Advice. As The Honourable Judge advised, LAZ really is perfectly useless to the ordinary people and ought to try and make themselves relevant to them in the right place.

    Without too much unkindness, it’s fair to say Linda Kasonde has made herself a figure of fun. Her pomposity, lack of common sense, diplomacy and humbleness is on show to citizen. There is no wisdom from Madam ‘Pout to the Left, Pout to the Right.’

  23. Bitter upnd cadres are getting more bitter by day.they mix up issues.hey guys no matter how you cry online,your Kainde will remain in Chimbokaila because Govnt have made it very cleat that the law will take its course in HH’s Mongu saga.
    Moreover,calling president Edgar Lungu a dictator wont help UPND in anyway because the world knows that ECL is not a dictator.

    AS YOU TROUBLE YOUR HEARTS UPND CAMP,GBM IS IN INDIA ENJOYING HIMSELF!!upnd has remained minus a top leader for a month,meaning if HH is convicted,that will mark its sad end!!NOBODY IN ZAMBIA CAN BRING DOWN OUR ECONOMY!!THINGS ECONOMICALLY ARE GETTING BETTER AND BETTER!!

  24. When it comes to Linda Kasonde, the answer to most questions baffling us is; FOLLOW THE DICK. Who is bunging Linda or which PF bunged her in the past and dumped her and made her practically insane with fury. By now all sane zambians know she is out of order. You will be shocked what you zambians will unearth if you do just a bit of digging. The information is actually out there amongst us! I won’t spill the beans just yet because I want you Zambians to find out for yourselves.

  25. Linda has been given good lesson and good advice, and through her to the entire LAZ community. The judge as a senior member of LAZ is obviously disgusted at what LAZ has become under Kasonde. She has destroyed the once respested institution of our judicial and governance system and the members are looking.
    You mean all the lawyers in this country including the so called State counsels are either docile or quite happy to be (mis)led by that thing? Or is it that the majority of members are donkeys? Or all of them have contracted the donkey disease? If so all lawyers please see your veterinary without further delays. There is a few in the lusaka show grounds, and not as expensive as LAZ fees.

  26. The legal advice that LAZ must apply equal zeal to cases involving poor and down trodden people was also zealous. In the public eye, justice is not a Robin Hood affair where robbing the rich in order to enrich the elite is justifiable. Justice as LAZ understood it represented promoting democratic values, the rule of law and good governance, regardless of whether the rich man was or was not the victim of powers that be. It is questionable whether LAZ would delay justice by ensuring that the Post of Zambia was also given a fair hearing by the justice system that is built on taxation and trust. Let us see for ourselves how LAZ can start delaying a case in court while the full bench is watching without rejecting irrelevant and no pertinent issues. Show us; show us just because that is the…

    • Show us; show us just because that is the meaning of justice. As a legal argument in the Commonwealth, public interest has remained controversial. The dominant view is that good judges must never succumb to public outcry because public outcry can be more political than legal. The alternative view is that the judiciary is also a political institution. Consequently, certain outcries are well founded. After all, peace and stability is good for democracy. On the basis of that dichotomy, following the law as was done in the Post of Zambia case where LAZ applied for inclusion remains an easy conservative way out of difficulty case. In other words, it was reasonable to argue as LAZ did that the Post of Zambia was a private legal entity with obvious public interest. Hence, the position of LAZ was…

  27. In other words, it was reasonable to argue as LAZ did that the Post of Zambia was a private legal entity with obvious public interest. Hence, the position of LAZ was to stand up and defend the rule of law and good governance in the country.

  28. “LAZ had applied to join the winding up petition involving the Post Newspapers Limited and some of its former employees, saying the case has potential to affect public perception and confidence in the Judiciary.”

    Trying to join a case of crooks, while insulting the judiciary at the same time.

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