The Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) has issued a statement emphasizing the importance of non-interference by government institutions in the internal affairs of political parties. The call comes amid recent developments surrounding the opposition Patriotic Front (PF), prompting discussions on the boundaries between government functions and political party matters.
LAZ President Lungisani Zulu, commenting on the situation, asserted that government institutions should refrain from meddling in the internal affairs of political parties. Zulu particularly addressed the ongoing discussions about the authenticity of a purported list of PF office bearers, urging that such matters should be adjudicated by the courts to ensure a fair and lawful resolution.
During a press briefing, Mr. Zulu stressed the importance of the government embracing diverse viewpoints and understanding the perspectives of stakeholders on national matters. He highlighted the significance of the rule of law in such situations and recommended legal avenues for settling disputes related to political party affairs.
However, Chief Government Spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa, who is also the Information and Media Minister, offered a counterpoint. Mweetwa argued that government institutions engaged in dealing with political parties as part of their duties should not be perceived as meddling in opposition affairs. He emphasized that service provision is distinct from interference and that institutions should be allowed to carry out their mandated functions.
Mweetwa responded to LAZ’s concerns about an increased number of arrests of opposition party members, acknowledging that the Association rightfully understands the importance of upholding the rule of law. He clarified that the law is impartial and applies to anyone, regardless of their political affiliation, stressing that violations will be addressed in accordance with legal principles.
IT IS APPARENT THAT THE CURRENT OPPOSITION POLITICAL PARTY LEADERS ARE DELBERATELY COMMITTING CASES. THEIR BEHAVIOR IS GENERALLY NOT WITHIN THE POLITICAL NORMS , HENCE THE THE APPARENT INCREASED ARRESTS. IT IS A PLANNED SYNDICATES OF ACTING IN LAWLESS MANNER BY THE ESPECIALLY THE PF. THE INSTITUTIONS LIKE LAZ SHOULD CASTIGATE OR COUNSEL THE OPPOSITION REGARDING THEIR DISTURBING BEHAVIOR
YOU ARE SO RIGHT THEY JUST DIVERTING AWAY FROM THEIR OWN PROBLEMS
THIS ECL WHO COULDNT STAND FRED HAS NOW JUMPED INTO BED WITH HIM
A lot of jokes in this country
Mweetwa argued that government institutions engaged by the ruling party to deal with political parties as part of their duties should not be perceived as meddling in opposition affairs.
The problem is that the jokes are in our government. By the time our laughter is over we will be too deep in poverty
When the PF wanted to hold public meetings in some parts of Lusaka, they were cancelled by the police and leaders threatened with arrest. Next we saw HH hold his own meetings in the same locations. It’s unprecedented that Miles Sampa was allowed to host his come together meeting in the heart of Lusaka with heavy police presence when there was a visiting foreign Head of State. Mwami 1 couldn’t have done that without the express permission of his Commander in Chief. What’s Mweetwa’s comment on that? These are just a few examples of why we’ve concluded that there’s interference. The Court discharged their injunction within hours without an inter party hearing. This is also unprecedented
They want to destroy institutions of governance because of their narrow agenda of trying to legitimize Sampa’s illegality. They have interfered with the Police, Judiciary, Parliament and now the Registrar of Societies. We’ll not allow this kind of impunity in the face of many other pressing issues like the outbreak of anthrax among many others.
These upnd chaps are shameless… lying is the order of the day to them it’s very normal…
Ask yourself who did we inherit this habit from
We can’t fight our bad habits. We copied them from the previous government.
How mentally lame!
All these confusions are from the ruling party. The UPND have failed in their quest to deliver, but wish to blame the opposition. At the same time divide them so that fingers are pointed at wrong people. Government sets the maize field ablaze and blames the arson on the opposition. And we expect the kwacha to perform well? No ways!
Ba Montanae, can you show evidence how UPND stopped the PF from holding their convention to elect a president for more than two years?? PF is on a self-destruction caravan and blaming the government will not solve the self-induced destruction of PF. Now that the internal PF dispute is in courts of law, let the courts resolve the internal PF disputes.
I would be more than glad to be told when UPND last held a convention of their own. Thank you in advance.
Did you say the dispute is in court? You forgot to say the registrar’s printout that earned her a dismissal will be scrutinised and validated by the same courts and not the minister. Unlike dwelling on the fake document, the minister was supposed to give us the authentic list of PF office bearers which the Hon. Speaker relied on to effect parliamentary changes. All that is not self destruction, but UPND induced.
Montanae, you have run out of relevant issues to back your biased mindset. If you followed the press meeting held by the Minister, you would have answers to the concerns you raise. The Minister was speaking on a publicly list of PF office bearers sent by the RoS to a private lawyer. This list has invalid information. The speaker effected PF parliamentary position changes based on a list provided by the RoS. Let the court determine why RoS produced a fake list of PF office bearers when ROS had another list leading the speaker to make changes. Did the speaker claim that she got an authentic list of PF office bearers from the Minister? You should have been asking the RoS to produce the list that prompted the speaker to make changes.
My counter argument is very objective. As a minister at the disposal of such a true and authentic document, he was supposed to lay the truth bare with facts. Give us the official paper if the registrar had an illegitimate one. It is you in fact who is deficient of relevant data to back your twisted, ill-informed mind and wish to be demagogic. Tell us how long ago you held a national convention. Enjoy yourself while you can.
Don’t just say urge. Do something about it. Your democracy is under threat by a mad man like hh and all you are doing is writing silly articles. Go out on street and fight for your rights. This generation of youth are lazy and cowards. Throw stones at hh motorcade
Iwe chi Kaizar we will smoke you out from Zimbabwe. Styopet kaponya. Embwa we
Leave him alone as the police are doing
they too want him to feel what’s it like on the run and having to look over your shoulder all the time
Both of you mu-sir-ta-nyo-ko
For someone who claims to be a lawyer, Lungisani Zulu displays a high level of ignorance and is not impartial, he is clearly a PF supporter and belongs to the Lungu faction. It is abundantly clear that he is just parroting Lungu-PF propaganda.
He is unfit to be LAZ President, he is not a lawyer but a promoter of lawlessness.
Lungisani Zulu could learn a lot from Chief Government Spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa.
Do not show your ignorance. LAZ is not like useless UPND that is run by one person. Whatever, Lungisani Zulu says is a collection of lawyers input. All lawyers are speaking through one piecemouth. It is only a directionless UPND that speaks through a lot of loud speakers. LAZ speak like Catholic Bishops. Techintobentobe!!
Montanae, if you think the list of PF office bearers presented by the RoS is valid, lets wait to hear the outcome when the court deals with the list and the various arguments and counter-arguments that will occur. The UPND doesnot have any intraparty disputes before court. It is PF with internal disputes who have taken their dispute to courts. The minister stated his agenda and reason for holding the press meeting while respecting that the issue was still pending court decision. The minister presented his reasons for indicating that the list presented by his RoS had substantial false errors. Minister also guided what procedure the RoS should have followed in presenting the list and to whom.
Whom are the UPND trying to fool with these cheap lies?
Hullo LAZ
Next time dont forget to remind the government that in a democracy it is a taboo for government to own news media. The Executive wing of governance cannot be allowed to interfere with freedom of Speech and freedom of information. So our government needs to let go of ownership of ZNBC and Zambia Daily Mail. The government should have nothing to do with the appointment of staff for these media organisations.
Please ba lawyer, Dont turn a blind eye to the importance of non-interference by government institutions in freedom of speech and in the internal affairs of media organisations.
UPND is misleading the Zambian people, their busy infiltrating confusion in opposition parties, and they think that Zambian people are fools.
Mr Anonymous the LAZ is not getting getting involved in PF matters… your party the Upnd wants to destroy the PF so that they have no challenge at the polls. PF may have been bad but it took them more than five years to become rotten while your party has taken less than two years to become rotten like a fish stored out of the freezer.