The Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) has condemned President Edgar Lungu for threatening the Judiciary and that he should retract his stamen t to restore confidence in the judiciary.
In a statement to Lusaka Times, the Council of LAZ said President Lungu’s statement which he made in Solwezi yesterday was alarming.
“That appears to threaten the Judiciary against making any adverse ruling against him in the impending judgment on the issue of whether the President is eligible to stand in the presidential election in 2021,” the LAZ council said.
On Thursday while in inSolwezi President warned Zambian Judges that they should not emulate the Kenyan Judges who disqualified the election of that country’s President Uhuru Kenyanta in the first round.
They said such a statement do little to dispel the notion that the executive tries to interfere with the work of the Judiciary and that the separation of powers in the country’s democracy is limited.
The LAZ Council pointed out that such statement erodes the public confidence in the institution.
They noted that article 118 (1) of the Constitution of Zambia states that, the Judiciary Authority of the republic derives powers from the people of Zambia and shall promote accountability.
They said the integrity of the judicial system rest in this principle and no one is above the constitution.
And that the Judiciary should be able to perform their duties without intimidation or treats especially from President Lungu who should be the first to person to defend and protect the Judiciary from attacks.
LAZ reminded President Lungu that as a Lawyer himself, of his sworn duty under article 91 of the constitution, to respect, uphold, and safe the constitution, promote democracy and enhance the unity of the nation, promote and protect the rights and freedoms of a person and uphold the rule of law.
They called on President Lungu to assure the Judiciary and the public that justice will be allowed to prevail no matter the outcome of the impending judgment in his case which is under the constitution court.
“Our national unity and integrity of our democracy depend on the rule of law and justice for all,” the LAZ council noted.
LAZ are pathetic
They are like that tumour you have at your back side and it is making it uncomfortable for you to enjoy your toilet visit when you are throwing your number two
PRESS GREEN IF YOU AGREE LUNGU WAS RIGHT
Thanks
BB2014,2016
Just disbar Jonathan again…
lungu and his tantrums…wawona manje
Lungu is the most incompetent man this nation has ever seen. How unlucky we are to have such a T1n as head of state. The man is so empty that the earlier we threw him in the dust bin the better.
LAZ are the biggest cry baby with their mummy Linda.
Some people have said that Jonathan was a brilliant law student but what he says and does demonstrates the contrary. I don’t blame him for taking up flying instead but I do know this for sure, no matter how many hours he clocks up in the air he will never get his PPL.
Mashabe ya Jona aza vutisa ma Zambians
Not worth further commenting on ECL `s speech, most important things have been stated already.
I just hope ECL has taken note of this public outcry………..more damaging to the country than what was condemned of HH.
In essence, it just proves that HH was right in his comments. I suppose this has annoyed most of the PF cadres, yesterday, they were criticizing HH and today….BOOOM!……succumbing to the exact points that HH highlighted.
IT`S A PITY !!!
It’s LAZ, again!! HH was busy overall telling lies that Zambia is exporting refuges to the neighbouring countries and LAZ never said anything….! LAZ should be reminded that the Judiciary has been infiltrated by criminals who are trying to work with foreign powers to topple some African governments. The president has information from the Intelligence which LAZ does not have. The president cannot keep quiet in the name of respecting the Judiciary when it is being controlled by criminals like LAZ itself.
Dont mind Lungu. Single handedly, he has wasted 5 years of Zambia’s development image. Completely incompetent and clueless, and disrepectful of the rule of law, and the importance Law Association of Zambia plays in ensuring respect and promotion for the rule of law.
Listening to the news I don’t remember him mentioning any country. In any case even Trump was yesterday sort of threatening the judiciary. As for freedom of press I just noticed that more journalists have been detained by the police. If in doubt just tweet @john_yearling for more details.
Lungu is not above the law I hope he learns a lesson from the verdict of this case…kuya bebele….
The Judges must show that he can not intimidate them and rule against his candidature. This will be the best pay back. He will have no where to go if the Constitutional Court says he can’t stand.
Take him for Bungie jumping.
He has handed over power to UPND.
Now HH should play smart.
Stop attacking Lungu and just present positive policies of UPND. 2021 is yours to lose.
The Lungu is committing suicide with his ‘more chaos in your pockets.’ A dog returns to its Chawama panga violence vomit.
SINCE HE WAS ADVISING THEM LET THEM STAND TALL AND DO WHAT IS CORRECT WITHIN THE LAW!
This is the same LAZ that questioned whether parliament, without the suspended 48 upnd mps had formed a quorum to pass Article 31. It emerged that matter was already taken care of in Article 77 of the Constitution. How could the whole of LAZ, a body of lawyers, miss out this crucial point and make a public statement??? Now they rush to issue another statement???
Rightly observed…see my comment below
LAZ is a bunch of criminals, not lawyers…it should be disbanded.
Let us not fear anyone that kills our body but let us fear God our greater because he knowns all about our leaders let God will be done
And what exactly is God’s interest in having Jonathan in office?
Why must god impose his will on us? We are the ones suffering thru Jonathan’s misdirection and subsequent blunders.
Judges as well as the LAZ in general are not above the Law…So no one is above the Law…however LAZ are cowards why issue a statement without the name of the President or Vice President as stipulated in the LAZ rules…This statement has been issued by the UPND cadre lnclined Lawyer and not the full council of LAZ…
1mbecile, log on LAZ and check before crapping in public
ma cadres sometimes learnt to be patriotic instead of being disciples to a mere human being. yah!!
@KBF, The truth really pains hence the insult but I can forgive you because you are a dunderhead…
In the event of civil war there will be no LAZ to protect us. Judiciary please heed the advise of the Presido.
Imwe fi LAZ, mulifikopo infact. The President is simply reminding you not to blindly copy what some f00l somewhere has done to put their once vibrant country in turmoil. When that judge passed that judgement in Kenya, you were quiet and didnt see the danger of that infamous decision. Now the ite the poor Kenyans who are in limbo whilst Odinga is safe and sound.
If the same judges believe what they did was correct, how come they have now fled the same country they thought they were protecting? I have already said before here that this thing called LAZ is a scam and Zambians must not entertain they crookedness, especially that chap called Linda, she seems to be lacking something in her life.
President Lungu has only done ONE term of office 2016-2021 and he is more than eligible and to…
I wonder whether Lungu’s supporters have any understanding of what they support. This man for sure may be intelligent and passed his exams but is not wise. When communicating to masses he needs to choose the words to use especially in his position so that everyone can follow suit. That is how leadership should be. But uyu ena twafumapofye nga lunshi pamafi.
Presidents continue to exercise their duties as citizens and to enjoy their privileges as citizens. Freedom of expression, such as freedom to criticize a Kenyan judgment is a personal freedom that is guaranteed under the constitution. The public needs to distinguish political rhetoric from government policy. The problem only arises if a president fires a judge based on rumor or misinformation. Or taking the matter to court. Or cutting diplomatic relations with a friendly country. It is consistent that certain decisions from the judicature proved controversial and whimsical. There is no need to glorify a distorted sense of justice.
This is rubbish only happens in zambia, where men put their tails between there legs for fear of another man because he is President, Zuma paid back the money in RSA there was no chaos, they held an impeachment vote successfully there was no chaos beacase RSA is a democracy, if Mr. Lungu wants a dictatorship he must go to Zair
Upnd cadres stop riding the country like that, war is not a good thing to pave a way to, its like ECL is remind Zambians about the the mistakes which law makers do in instance of Kenya where law makers almost put the country on fire. ECL is also trying to Zambians that HH and his. Anglo America wants to size countries like Zambia,South Africa and Kenya because of the minerals and other natural resources they have,can’t people see that? The Anglo America are using government organs to influence the running of national affairs on their support and imposing of their candidacies some thing that they have failed for long time because it’s oppression of Africans and GOD is not happy with the schemes.please bloggers let’s learn to understand issues before we support.
@12, 100% correct. How can we be so blind to what is going on in Kenya, just next door. HH, Odinga, Maimane…these are chaps that are being sponsored by Anglo American…the reason why Odinga and HH can call for armagedon in broad day light….It is in black and white…The imperialist are back and this time around they want to use your own brothers and sisters (who are greedy & selfish) to plunder your natural resources – Wake up Zambians!!! There is nothing that HH is going to “fix” for you but for himself, family and his imperialist friends…
The issue here is not about presidential nomination, the issue is how HH and upnd supporters plan to do / running national politics including lawyers. We all saw what happened when constitutional court president (tonga by originally) failed to preside over the presidential petition court case instead she maintained a wrong stance on adjournment to Monday a thing that brought national confusion to date.We all see what HH and upnd do just to fulfill his Anglo America mission now, Tongas at large worships HH whether lawyers or not, 95% of Tongas see HH as their min god worth to worship.Catholics am sure you are watching, please protect Zambia like what you have protected Zimbabwe, Uganda and country from the tooth of ANGLO AMERICA ORG which has brought misery in rich – mineral- African…
It is hard to fight imperials when they are using our own brothers and sisters who don’t care about selling our country to them…! Our freedom fighters must be turning in their graves. I wish Lungu could act more strongly to sort out these traitors, Paul Kagame in Rwanda…
You are just wasting your time and resources by fighting HE ECL. SITIZAMVELA ISE NI PABWATO CHABE, NAFUTI NAFUTI 2021. ECL will kolopa them even if they gang up with the BBC, CNN, IMF & Commonwealth fimofimo.
Judges should serve the interest of the people. They need to look at the big picture. What happened in Kenya was not done in the interest of the nation. The same thing happened here which has lead to the stepping down of the deputy prime minister and many other cabinet meaning unnecessary election’s are coming. Ecl is advising these judges to use common sense. There is only one bitter politician in Zambia who is pushing for his selfish agenda and shouldn’t be allowed to achieve it.
Its a good tactic LAZ issued this statement via the council and their President as we know what that failed lawyer Lazy Lungu would have said.
LAZ is still controlled by Mmembe and UPND Lawyers… Up to now LAZ has failed to discipline Ms Martha Mushipe the UPND Lawyer for misconduct in the Constitutional Court…
Fellow Zambians, please debate issues objectively and not polarise our people. What have the Tongas done kanshi? Every person in Zambia has the right to choice and opinion. But we should not judge people based on their tribe, religion, colour or creed. I am a proud Zambia from the north with a wife from the east. But being Zambian is more important. Let’s not be tribal in our debates but let’s educate and build one another on important issues such as the independence of the three arms of government. Take heed: a tongue is a small member but can cause fire if not properly used. One Zambian One Nation.
Zambian…oops
I now believe lungu is powerful though upnd refutes at times ,just one statement you have failed to sleep do you think hh will be imposed to zambian people never, tell him to convince the voters if not 2021 is near again he will cry and for him to convince me first tell him to call for a convention
LUNGU is President, HH is simply a club chairman of upnd big gap eh!
LAZ is a useress tool of UPND. They meet in bed daily!
Who is Edgar Lungu to threaten LAZ an institution?Edgar with his minions the likes of Information minister and his spokes man should realised that the powers vested in him is the Zambian people of which his authority’s time limit is very short and temporal.Hence,he must be mindful that he needs not to boast about because time will come when we the Zambians will make him account for all these nonsense his PF Govt is making.
I am still shocked that a thief and drunkard became our kateka. Does it mean there are no capable Zambians to elect. Are you then surprised why things are now going south? Anyway Zambians deserve this low caliber of leaders. I am off to Magufuli land where things are happening!