The Law Association of Zambia has called on Zambians to stand up for Human Rights for everyone.
The LAZ Council says Zambia’s dreams and aspirations can only be achieved if the human rights, worth and dignity of each and every human being are respected, protected and fulfilled.
This is contained in a statement issued to mark the commemoration of the Human Rights Day which falls today, the 10th December 2018.
The Day also marks the 70th Anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration for Human Rights which is a document that remains a beacon for the protection and promotion of Human Rights around the World.
Meanwhile, President Edgar Lungu has directed Justice Minister Given Lubinda to soon present to cabinet the revised Human Rights Commission Act for adoption prior to tabling it in parliament for enactment.
President Lungu says government is committed to giving legal effects to the republican constitution by reviewing the Act to empower the commission to grant quasi-judicial remedies and binding orders to enhance the protection of human rights.
In a speech read for him by Vice President Inonge Wina at the commemoration of the Human Rights Day, President Lungu has further directed that the process of reforming the Public order Act be brought to its logical conclusion within the shortest possible time.
Former Katuba UPND member of parliament Jonas Shakafuswa says President Edgar Lungu should chill because forcing himself on the people would invite a revolution.
On Friday, the Constitutional Court ruled that the period which President Edgar Lungu served after Michael Sata’s death, from January 2015 to September 2016, could not be considered a full term, thereby implying that the incumbent was therefore eligible to contest the 2021 elections.
But in statement shared on his Facebook wall, Saturday, Shakafuswa laughed at those who defined the Constitutional Court’s ruling as giving President Lungu a third term, adding that the ruling party had taken advantage of the lacunas in the Constitution.
He stated that President Lungu didn’t change the Constitution to enable him run for a third…
Continued
… third term, but it was politicians and other groups who found it fit to define a term of office, generally.
“I laugh when some quarters are defining the ConCourt ruling as giving Edgar a third term and want to capitalize on that to gain political mileage. This is very cheap thinking which can’t sell. Edgar hasn’t changed the Constitution to enable him run for a third term. The Constitution was changed by politicians and groups, who found it fit to define a term of office. This was not defined for Edgar, but generally,” he stated.
Shakafuswa urged people to swallow their pride, saying they had an opportunity to pass a Constitution which could stand the test of time.
He charged that Civil Society Organisations to him, ruined the whole Constitutional process because they…
Let’s roll …
Lungu got away with a contemptuous statement he made to the Concourt (about them not to be a copycat and he is a lawyer) to Kenya, while the case was before the court and Chifire was imprisoned for contempt. How does this work? Some people are talking about how we should roll… @B R Mumba, shut up! Maybe Lungu is a Lawyer thief, yes he is, he store from a client and continues to still and misleading the country with his no vision agenda!
The LAZ is part and parcel of the poor human rights record in Zambia, many (not all)of their lawyers are just evil money grabbing sadistic sa.ta.nic demons. They would rather post pone cases where their clients are in the cells so as to put pressure on clients to make payments for their legal bills. They the lawyers are happy with repressive laws as it only adds value to their prestige and feeds their egos. They are just plain evil (most not all).
Continued
… they wanted it ‘adopted as was’.
“People have to learn to swallow their pride. We had an opportunity to pass a Constitution which could stand the test of time. But opportunists wanted to ride on the perceived support of the Civil Society, who, to me ruined the whole Constitutional process. They wanted the Constitution ‘adopted as is’. Did they study it. Did they notice the implications of adopting the ‘Constitution as is’. Most of these so called Civil Society are just noise makers who don’t possess the expertise to have detailed analysis of serious issue but want to work as media experts. Here we are, wanting the Courts to give judgement for political expedience. Looking for a storm from a tea cup. Not in Zambia,” he stated.
And Shakafuswa stated that Zambia had…
That must start with yourselves. Please reduce the fees ,they are too high to hire a lawyer .
Human rights in this police state with no rule of law, they set the cops on you for expressing your self as long as it is not in line or support of the PFoools chipante pante sh!t hole govt, PFoools police just arrest people whit no charge because some kaponya politician feels offended……
Why is that a bitter person cannot be elected into office but can easily become a Paramount Chief of the Namwala people?
What about the 6 year sentence slapped on Chifire which LAZ praised? What type of hypocrisy!
That’s Zambia for you…full to the rafters of docile tumid people, Chifire was there trying to provide checks as a taxpayer the criminals in colonial wigs threw him in the den. He now has to hope that the chief thief of thieves in State House pardons him!!
Why is that a section of Zambians live on bitter herbs for breakfast, bitter herbs for lunch and bitter herbs for super resulting in evil bitter hearts?
There are no such thing as human rights, the rich makes conditions the poor follows.
Of late the LAZ has been silent or inconsistent with where it stands with regards to upholding Human rights. even senior members of LAZ have been seen cerebrating the harsh sentences or conditions for bailout imposed on well meaning activists. I miss the assertiveness of former LAZ president Linda.
When I grow up I want to be silent when people are mistreated like LAZ
Has LAZ talked to brutal Zambian policemen about the importance of respecting everyone’s human rights?
Is Laz passing statements because they have to? Or have they just realised what human rights are?? Begs belief!
In an environment where protest is an illegal act, how do you stand up for human rights? Today is the day to tell Edgar Lungu to help Zambians stand up for human rights. To ask him easy restriction on peaceful protest permits, to stop arrests of peaceful protesters, and to mean what he says;”Zambia will continue upholding human rights.” Remember, peaceful protest is human right.
Somebody opposed the bill of rights because he was confident of winning
No, he didn’t. Reread the story.
The UN Security Council must authorise a resolution to convene an International Criminal Tribunal for Zambia, soon. We demand that the perpetrators of the gross rights infringments inflicted on us. Answer to the criminal charges, before such sought criminal tribunal. They have schemed to get away with impunity through Organized criminal syndicates. They should not sweep such filth under the carpet. They talk of the U iversity Declaration of Human Rights yet they have contravened it, without shame, but with greed and oust for money and luxuries they did not earn and have no capacity to earn. President ECL must sit down with the UNSC, OHCHR, USA, AU and UN so as to appease us on the appropriate modes of justice. It’s sickening to read about people lying about human rights, but why did…