The Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) has that is it deeply concerned with the attacks on the Judiciary attributed to Mr. Paul Moonga who is the Patriotic Front (PF) Lusaka Province Chairperson, during a press briefing at the PF Secretariat on Friday, 5th March, 2021.
In a statement released to the media, the association said that Mr. Moonga’s sentiments have since gone viral, a situation the association feels feel needs redress.
Below is the full statement
PRESS RELEASE BY THE LAW ASSOCIATION OF ZAMBIA (FOR IMMEDIATE CIRCULATION TO MEDIA HOUSES)
The Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) is deeply concerned with the attacks on the Judiciary attributed to Mr. Paul Moonga who is the Patriotic Front (PF) Lusaka Province Chairperson, during a press briefing at the PF Secretariat on Friday, 5th March, 2021. Mr. Moonga’s sentiments have since gone viral, a situation we feel needs redress.
The Judiciary, being a creation of the Constitution, is established under Part VIII of the Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) No. 2 of 2016. Article 122 (1) provides that, “In the exercise of the judicial authority, the Judiciary shall be subject only to this Constitution and the law and not be subject to the control or direction of a person or
an authority.”
While we subscribe to the freedom of expression and principles of accountability which entail that any person and institution, including the Judiciary can be subject of criticism, we are particularly perturbed by the sentiments from a senior member of the ruling party as the sentiments suggest that the Judiciary is subject to the control and direction of other people, contrary to the constitutional provision highlighted above. In particular, the sentiments that the Judges are being watched by the ruling party, and the suggestion that some Constitutional Court Judges are susceptible to corruption so as to nullify the candidature of the President should a petition be filed, are not only unfortunate and detrimental to constitutionalism, but also have the potential to intimidate the Judiciary and undermine its independence.
LAZ, is duty bound to promote the Rule of Law under section 4 of the Law Association of Zambia Act, Chapter 31 of the Laws of Zambia. It is in furtherance of that mandate that LAZ strongly condemns unwarranted attacks on public institutions which are established to work independently, in furtherance of national order and governance. If such public utterances are left unchecked or requisite reprimand not effected, the country may face a quagmire where institutions risk being cowed into taking extraneous considerations in the discharge of their statutory mandates.
We therefore, call upon the PF leadership to prevail over its members to refrain from issuing unwarranted attacks against the Judiciary or indeed any other public institutions as these institutions should not be politicised in the name of serving personal interests. LAZ will engage the ruling party to register its disquiet. We also urge the Judiciary to continue discharging its mandate without fear or favour in tandem with its constitutional mandate.
Dated this 10 th day of March, 2021.
________________________________
Sokwani Peter Chilembo
HONORARY SECRETARY
Some Judgements passed by your affiliated courts are skeptical.
Did you react in the same manner when current Zambian president imitated Kenya’s leader by threatening the Judges-this about a few years ago.
KZ zeey. Kkk
And why wasn’t this issued by the LAZ president?
I am just eating some bananas
lawless pfooools!!!!!!!!!!!
LAZ is only vocal when it involves the ruling PF. When Kambwili was attacking Magistrate Simusamba or when hh was attacking ConCourt judges, LAZ was silent. I think LAZ has lost the ability to advise and have become partisan.
PF time out. You have put the rest of us between a rock and a hard place.
You use the Constitutional Court of Zambia, to declare then the vice president Guy Scott, that he was not a fully Zambian to president .
“In a statement released to the media by Party Secretary General Davies Mwila, the party said that the the issue of President Edgar Lungu’s eligibility is a dead issue that was conclusively dealt with by the Constitutional Court of Zambia,”-LT
“We therefore, call upon the PF leadership to prevail over its members to refrain from issuing unwarranted attacks against the Judiciary or indeed any other public institutions as these institutions should not be politicised in the name of serving personal interests. LAZ will engage the ruling party to register its disquiet. We also…
“We therefore, call upon the PF leadership to prevail over its members to refrain from issuing unwarranted attacks against the Judiciary or indeed any other public institutions as these institutions should not be politicised in the name of serving personal interests. LAZ will engage the ruling party to register its disquiet. We also urge the Judiciary to continue discharging its mandate without fear or favour in tandem with its constitutional mandate.”-LT
KZ after being removed as political advisor what role are you playing now
KZ’s Mission and Core Business is to rig Elections, Print Money and dish it out to buy votes.That’s all he knows but no idea how economies function properly. Indeed ignorance is bliss!
Computer scientist I am still a senior civil servant and working in a higher position. To you jealous people you assumed me leaving that position meant I was fired and yet I was promoted. Also I am running many businesses. Are you after a job ? Contact me
Naughty KZ, how many bananas have eaten so far?
I’m looking for a job I have a degree in computer science
KZ is it true that you are now the second richest person in Zambia behind HH