The ruling Patriotic Front (PF) says it will treat Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) president Linda Kasonde as an enermy.
PF Secretary General Davies Mwila told reporters in Lusaka on Friday that Kasonde has proved that she is a politician working with the opposition UPND against the PF.
Mwila said the PF will treat Kasonde as a political enemy because of her conduct.
He said the PF respect the independence of the Judiciary and will continue to do so.
But Electoral Expert MacDonald Chipenzi had this to say about this tussle:
PF SG Davies Mwila is off tangent in declaring LAZ president Madam Linda Kasonde as a political enemy to his party for no apparent reasons.
Ms. Kasonde is just a mouthpiece for the associations of lawyers which also include the president of the republic who is a lawyer too!.
Linda Kasonde just reminded a Mr Amos Chanda to be professional and not use threat on the Judiciary especially that he speaks on behalf of the appointing authority.
As a person at the apex of the legal body or association, she has collectively, the right to project the views of the legal minds in the country and that does not warrant any group of people or institution to declare enmity towards her. Why not declare that enmity with LAZ?
In any case, the LAZ president did not attack the PF but the presidency’s office which Amos Chanda represented or misrepresented.
Unless Mr. Mwila is suggesting that the PF has gone back to the old UNIP days when the party and its govt (PIG) were Siamese twins. If not, then he has no loci standi to declare enmity with Linda kasonde.
May be the govt spokesperson, Madam Mulenga Kapamba, would have been better positioned to defend the govt or clarify issues misrepresented by Amos Chanda since Chanda is civil servant not a party official.
We must end this political habit of accusing whoever does not agree with the establishment of belonging to the opposing political groupings and try to discriminate that person based on affiliation or association.
This is a breach of the constitution which allows individuals to belong to any association of their choice.
What is happening to Linda where the establishment wants to singularly single her out of the LAZ as an enemy is only practiced in autocratic countries some of them are so close to the current govt establishment.
Amos Chanda must apologise to the judiciary for using threatening language and for undermining its independence or be cited for contempt.
Linda Kasonde must be defended and in solidarity we must stand side by side with her and the statement issued by LAZ after the collective input from the lawyers.”