Africa-Press – Zambia. The Southern Africa Network Against Corruption (SANAC) has expressed displeasure over the statement issued by the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) on the rejection of the nomination papers for Joe Malanji and Bowman Lusambo citing that it lacked legal backing as the Association failed to refer to any Constitutional provisions in their submission.
The Southern Africa Network Against Corruption Executive Director Gregory Chifire noted that it is worrying when LAZ starts to make pedestrian statements such as the one on the illegibility of Mr Lusambo and Mr Malanji when there mandate according section 4 of the Law Association of Zambia Act Chapter 31 is to promote constitutionalism, rights of citizens and the rule of law, therefore, LAZ must never veer off from its sacred mandate as it stands to lose its credibility.
“Such statements can fuel anarchy,” Mr Chifire noted
Mr Chifire stated that LAZ needs to put itself in order and there is need for urgent reforms so as to retain the place of integrity and good standing the Association has enjoyed in the eyes of the general public.
“We humbly ask senior lawyers to help in this regard,” he said
He highlighted that it is disappointing that LAZ in their submission failed to cite any Constitutional provision when it is a matter of common sense that issues concerning the Constitution must be debated using the Constitution.
Mr Chifire added that Zambia has a constitution, which is a Supreme Law of the Land and any other law that contravenes with the Constitution is null and void according to (Article 1[1]) of the Constitution.
He said that the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) was actually being charitable by informing the Patriotic Front well in advance that it will not accept the nominations of Mr Malanji to recontest in the Kwacha Constituency seat and Mr Lusambo to recontest on the Kabushi Constituency seat in the upcoming Parliamentary By-Elections slated for the 15th of September, 2022, in order for the party to consider finding replacements in the twilight.
He mentioned that the Patriotic Front just wanted to attract sympathy because if they were serious, they could have replaced their candidates. “As it stands, they have lost those two seats, thanks to their arrogance that was backed by ill advice from LAZ,” Mr Chifire mentioned
Mr Chifire explained that the next time LAZ debates on the Constitution, they should be ready to make reference to the same because whatever a lawyer submits that has no authority, amounts to nothing regardless of volume of submission.
“What LAZ submitted on the matter at hand is nothing, it has no legal backing thus it is as good as a tavern discussion,” he said
He said that it is an open secret that LAZ has had few internal challenges such as issues involving its members that were being used during the Patriotic Front (PF) regime as conduits for money laundering and the Association has failed to deliberate on that issue.
Mr Chifire added that there is an allegation in the public domain that Equitas Legal Practitioners, the firm where the current LAZ President, Lungisani Zulu is a partner, was used for payments in excess of K5 million that raised a red flag.
He further added that in a situation as one involving the firm for the President of LAZ, Zambians would be inclined to conclude that in making the statement on the issue of Mr Malanji and Mr Lusambo, Mr Zulu’s judgment was influenced by the relationship his firm enjoyed with the former Ruling Party.
“It is only natural that as human beings we seldom take positions that seemingly disadvantage our paymasters, current or former,” Mr Chifire said.
For More News And Analysis About Zambia Follow Africa-Press
