A legal commentator is asking President Lazarus Chakwera not to assent to the just passed NGO (Amendment) Bill into law.
Justin Dzonzi says Chakwera should hold his signature on the Bill because he said Parliament acted in in contempt of court when it discussed and passed the Bill.
The remarks come against a background of a court injunction obtained by the Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation, Youth and Society and the Centre for the Development of People.
The three rights groups sought the court’s intervention in regard to their concerns about a lack of thorough consultations on the matter.
On Tuesday, Parliament went ahead to pass the Bill in disregard to the court order barring the House from tackling the proposed law, prompting various sections of society to question the move’s legality and morality.
Dzonzi he expects the President to not assent to it as it was passed in breach of the principles of rule of law.
Parliament spokesperson Ian Mwenye referred the matter to the Attorney General whom we could not reach at the time of filing this report.
Meanwhile, CHRR executive director Michael Kaiyatsa said that their lawyer’s advice will determine the grouping’s next move on the issue.