By PETER SICHALI and SIMON MUNTEMBA
WE will not accept that President Edgar Lungu is eligibility to contest the 2021 Presidential elections because the Constitutional Court judgement did not mention his name, the UPND has said.
And New Congress Party (NCP) president Peter Chanda has expressed shock that the UPND could claim that the Concourt ruling did not mention President Lungu’s name when the petition was all about his eligibility.
UPND spokesperson Charles Kakoma has insisted that President Lungu was not eligible to contest the 2021 general elections.
Mr Kakoma was reacting to a statement by president of the Constitutional Court Justice Hilda Chibomba that the court had already made judgement on President Lungu’s eligibility which could be accessed as it was in public domain.
This was after the Daily Nation wrote to the Constitutional Court, seeking “much clearer” interpretation of its judgement on the eligibility of President Lungu to stand in the 2021 Presidential and general elections.
In a statement issued by registrar Dorcas Malama, Justice Chibomba urged Zambians to read the judgement on the head of State’s eligibility to stand in 2021 because the matter was conclusively disposed-of.
“As regards the judgement that you have made reference to in your letter, kindly be advised that the same was delivered by the court and it can be easily accessed as it is in public domain. I can only urge you to read it,” Justice Chibomba said.
But Mr Kakoma said the UPND would not accept that President Lungu was eligible to contest the 2021 general elections because the ruling did not mention his name.
In an interview, Mr Kakoma said contrary to what Justice Chibomba stated, the UPND believed that the Constitutional Court did not rule that President Lungu was eligible.
He said the ruling of the presidential term of office had nothing to do with President Lungu’s eligibility as an individual.
“Unless the Constitutional Court ruling is changing its position, what we know as UPND is that the Constitutional Court ruling in the case of Danny Pule and others did not rule of President Lungu’s eligibility.
“What we know as UPND is that the court just interpreted what a term of office means and did not mention President Lungu’s name,” Mr Kakoma said.
He added, “It is true that President Lungu has been sworn in twice and has been elected twice therefore he is not eligible.”
Mr Kakoma said it would take another ruling to declare Mr Lungu eligible to run in next year’s elections.
Meanwhile, Pastor Chanda who was among the petitioners has expressed shock that the UPND could claim that the ruling did not mention President Lungu’s name when the petition was all about his eligibility.
In an interview, Pastor Chanda explained that he together with other political party leaders petitioned the ConCourt to determine whether President Lungu could stand in the 2021 elections because the matter was of public interest which brought lingering political debates.
He said the ConCourt judgement referred to President Lungu’s eligibility and not to another matter or person.
UPND: CONCOURT DIDN’T CLEAR LUNGU
