Antonio Mwanza
All decisions and contracts signed by PF ‘cabinet’ from the time parliament was dissolved are illegal, null and void, says Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) spokesperson Antonio Mwanza.
Yesterday, the Constitutional court declared that ministers and deputy ministers are holding office illegally and should vacate their offices immediately.
In a landmark ruling, the court also ordered the former ministers to refund, salaries, allowances and other payments they have drawn from the treasury since May 12, 2016 when parliament was dissolved.
President Edgar Lungu had justified the decision to keep ministers in their positions after the dissolution of parliament saying there is a provision in the amended Constitution that allows ministers to remain in office.
He said this was in order to ensure a smooth handover as per provisions of the amended constitution.
But Mwanza says the decision by the Constitutional Court has embarrassed President Lungu, who refused to heed to the wise counsel coming from his fellow lawyers.
Mwanza, who is also FDD Munali parliamentary candidate, says other than drawing allowances and salaries the ministers made several decisions which may impact negatively on the governance of the nation.
He lamented that cabinet has passed several binding decisions since they remained in office such as the contraction of the US$188 million loan last week by Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda.
Mwanza has told QFM News that the ruling by the Constitutional Court has exposed President Lungu that he did not read the constitution and his legal advisors were not doing a good job.
He says the former ministers will have to refund even the fuel they have been stealing from the time parliament was dissolved.
