Kabwe Central PF member of parliament Tutwa Ngulube says the statement issued by the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) council over the cancellation of Prime TV’s broadcasting licence is illegal.

Ngulube, who is also a lawyer, has charged that it’s illegal and misleading for any LAZ members to masquerade as Council members as the mandate of the former Council expired on April 2, this year.

In a statement on Saturday, the LAZ Council argued that the cancellation of Prime TV’s broadcasting licence by the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) was illegal and done prematurely without following the correct channels of the law.

LAZ stated that it was saddened and gravely perturbed by the cancellation and questioned whether the action was done in public interest.

But in a statement, Sunday, Ngulube argued that currently, LAZ had no council as the mandate of the former Council expired on April 2, 2020 when another Council should have been elected.

“Fellow Countrymen and Women, I write to put the record straight on the purported Statement by the Law Association of Zambia over the closure of Prime Television Zambia. The Statement appears to have been issued by the Purported Law Association of Zambia Council. Allow me to state the as we Speak the Law Association of Zambia has no council as the mandate of the Former Council expired on the 2nd of April 2020 when another Council Should have been elected,” Ngulube stated.

“The general membership of the Law Association has not extended the said mandate and as such it is illegal and misleading for any Law Association of Zambia members to masquerade as Council members.”

Ngulube further challenged Eddie Mwitwa and Mutumu Mwape, who is vying for the LAZ Presidency, to state the section of the LAZ Act Chapter 30 which gave them a fresh mandate to commit the entire association to statements on behalf of private Media houses.

“We actually wish to warn such members that the Law Association of Zambia disciplinary Rules define such conduct as Professional Misconduct. We Challenge Mr Eddie Mwitwa and Ms Mutumu Nzala Mwape who is vying for the Position of LAZ President to State which Section of the Law Association of Zambia Act Chapter 30 gave them a fresh mandate or an extension of the mandate to begin committing the entire Association to statements on behalf of Private Media houses who have their own personal relationships with government institutions such as the IBA. Mrs Mutumu Nzala Mwape is just a Candidate for the Position of President and although she is a member of the former council whose mandate expired, she can’t speak for us all,” stated Ngulube.

“We the members of LAZ general membership have not yet elected my Learned Sister Mrs Mutumu Nzala Mwape as our President because the General Conference which was scheduled to take place on April 2, 2020 was deferred due to the Corona Virus -COVID-19 Outbreak. Much as we don’t have the power to evaluate the merits of IBA’s decision we urge those speaking on behalf of LAZ to desist from using the name of the Association.”