FDD spokesperson Antonio Mwanza says it is unfortunate that justice minister Given Lubinda has opted to defend barbaric behavior by PF cadres.

Yesterday, Lubinda said he could neither condemn nor condone attacks on the Law Association of Zambia because people had the right to protest.

Lubinda said he could not sympathise with LAZ president Linda Kasonde because he did not know why people wanted her to resign.

Reacting to Lubinda’s statement, Mwanza reminded him that he was supposed to be a standard bearer of justice and fairness.

“It is extremely unfortunate that Given Lubinda, a man who is supposed to be a standard bearer of justice and fairness has opted to defend the barbaric and uncalled for behaviour of PF cadres who were unleashed by the PF to intimidate and humiliate Madam Linda Kasonde for simply discharging her duties as President of the Law Association of Zambia,” Mwanza said.

“Mr Given Lubinda by virtue of his position as Minister of Justice to which LAZ by default belongs, as an institution which was established by an Act of Parliament must have come to the defense of LAZ and condemn those cowardly acts of aggression exhibited by the PF cadres. It is actually embarrassing that the man has opted to pander against sound judgment and expected behaviour from a man holding such a respectable public office.”

He said it was no wonder that Zambians wanted ministers to be appointed from outside Parliament.

“This is one of the various reasons why Zambians wanted Ministers to be appointed outside Parliament to ensure the separation of powers and independence of thought in the manner Cabinet Ministers run the affairs of the state. It is clear that Mr Lubinda has adopted a position that will put him in good standing with the PF leadership since they are the ones who organised and sponsored that attack on Madam Linda. I mean we all remember that not so long ago, Davies Mwila, the PF Secretary General publicly declared war against Madam Linda Kasonde and that is the first sign of the war,” Mwanza said.

He observed that most of the cadres who were protesting against Kasonde could not even explain their actions.

“If you ask the majority of those brothers of mine who were protesting why they were protesting, they will not even be able to explain; they don’t even know what the acronym LAZ stands for or who Ms Linda Kasonde is or what indeed the mandate of LAZ is. They were just taken advantage of their poverty and they were abused for a fee,” Mwanza said.

“Mr Lubinda knows very well that Ms Kasonde’s statements and actions are not from her personal stand point but are actually agreed upon positions by LAZ as an institution and that Ms Kasonde is nothing but simply the mouthpiece of LAZ by virtue of her position as President of the association.”

He encouraged Kasonde to remain strong.

“We would wish to encourage Ms Kasonde and the entire LAZ leadership to remain strong and not to give in to intimidation and threats. The only thing that is needed for evil to reign is for good people to keep quite when wrongs are being committed by evil men. We want those legal brains to remember that they went to school in order to be the light of society hence they should not give up on the people by succumbing to PF’s threats and intimidation,” said Mwanza.

“The God of heaven who sees the suffering and hears the mourning of his oppressed children will always protect those who stand for justice, He will always protect those who speak and defend the truth.”