By Chinoyi Chipulu
Political activist Thomson Luzendi has urged Speaker of the National Assembly Nelly Mutti to retract what he termed as reckless remarks which she made yesterday as the same defied a binding ruling by the Constitutional Court
Luzendi, who is also a Socialist party member, said Mutti’s remarks that Bill 7 could still return to Parliament for further consideration, should the minister of Justice Princess Kasune choose to proceed with it, were a dangerous threat to Zambia’s constitutional order.
In a statement yesterday, Luzendi stated that Mutti had disregarded a Constitutional Court judgment which had ordered the withdrawal of Bill 7 on the grounds that it lacked the constitutionally required level of public consultation under Article 79.
He stated that the Speaker’s position constituted not just a procedural disagreement, but a direct challenge to the authority of the Constitutional Court and an erosion of the separation of powers.
“The Speaker’s stance risked precipitating a full-blown constitutional crisis, stating that no parliamentary official, including the Speaker, held the authority to override a judgment from the Constitutional Court, which is the apex interpreter of the Constitution,” he stated.
He stated that Mutti’s remarks reflected a broader disregard for the supremacy of the Constitution and set a dangerous precedent that could permit other public officials to ignore court rulings.
“This is not about law or democracy anymore; it is a calculated power grab. It is concerning that Parliament was being transformed into a rubber stamp for authoritarian excess,” he stated.
Luzendi stated that no further action on Bill 7 should proceed unless it was brought into full compliance with constitutional procedures.
He stated that Zambia was now at a crossroads between upholding constitutional democracy or sliding into authoritarianism.
“I call on Speaker Mutti and the National Assembly to honour the court’s decision and reaffirm their commitment to constitutional supremacy,” stated Luzendi.
