The Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) disapproves of recent statements by Minister of Justice Wynter Kabimba with regard to the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ).
Mr Kabimba made the statements in the lead up to the Chipata Central bye-election, once it became apparent that the ruling Patriotic Front party, where Kabimba also serves as Secretary General, was going to lose the seat to the candidate from the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD). The ECZ had issued a statement condemning the appearance of Paramount Chief Mpezeni at a PF political rally, which is against Zambian electoral laws.
“ECZ is being mischievous, they are trying to belittle President Michael Sata,” Kabimba said on July 26, challenging some officers at the ECZ to resign on moral grounds whom he accuses of allegedly having worked against Mr. Sata’s 2011 bid for presidency.
A statement issued last night by LAZ argues the ECZ had firm grounds to censure Chief Mpezeni for directing his subjects to vote for the PF candidate, Lameck Mangani.
LAZ president James Banda said it was “wrong” for Kabimba to verbally abuse the ECZ for correcting him, pointing out that Mpezeni had breached the constitution and the ECZ were acting within their right to enforce the law
Noting an overall deterioration in the rule of law in recent months under the PF government, the LAZ statement went further to criticize the recent appointment of three traditional rulers to the House of Chiefs from the newly created Muchinga Province by President Sata, despite earlier rulings which had decided that these individuals would not qualify.
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