PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu has asked the newly-elected Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) executive to address the situation whereby some State Counsels are in the habit of openly “demonising” the state.

According to a statement issued by Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations Isaac Chipampe, President Lungu was speaking when he met newly elected LAZ president Abyudi Shonga State Counsel at State House, Tuesday.

The President wondered why some lawyers opted to oppose government instead of working with the state when elevated to the status of State Counsel.

“State Counsels are lawyers for the State, but we have State Counsels demonizing the Executive,” President Lungu wondered.

The President asked LAZ to look into the matter, stating that State Counsels only needed to write to the President for a meeting when issues arose.

President also expressed hope that his administration would collaborate more with the LAZ executive stating that the association should find it easy to work with the Executive, the Legislature, and the Judiciary because they are all headed by lawyers.

And Shonga thanked President Lungu for the meeting and offered to work with government in the fight against the COVID- 19 pandemic.

Shonga said Government should feel free to work with LAZ in the constitution making process because the association’s core mandate demands that LAZ participates in the legislation, quoting Section 4 of the LAZ Act.

Meanwhile, Mr Shonga says LAZ is concerned that despite a huge number of graduate lawyers, there are few job opportunities.

He asked government, through the President, to create opportunities for the lawyers.

Shonga promised that the new executive would work within the confines of the LAZ Act.

He also urged the President to help ensure next year’s presidential elections are free and fair.

In response, President Lungu assured LAZ that the elections would be free and fair and expressed confidence in the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to manage the elections.

Shonga was escorted by new LAZ vice president Lungisani Zulu and new treasurer Ngosa Simachela.