By SILUMESI MALUMO
THE debate on the eligibility of President Edgar Lungu is long gone, the constitution that governs the nation protects him to contest the 2021 general elections, Patriotic Front (PF) vice chairperson for mobilisation Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba has said.
Mr Mwamba said those trying to dispute the decision made by the Constitutional Court were creating problems for themselves because that was contempt of court.
He said it was important for every one regardless of their status in society to respect the judiciary.
These, he said, are the laws which were made to govern the country, how can someone just wake up thinking they can challenge them. Doing so is criminal.
Mr Mwamba, in an interview yesterday, reminded people, especially those politically inclined that undermining the courts was a serious crime and it would land them in serious problems.
“We need by all means to avoid being in conflict with the law, the Concourt explained what was contained in the constitution regarding the term of office of a President and so it is important that we respect the law.
Using legislations that do not even apply to try and undermine the judiciary will make others spend their lives in jail. We need to refrain from uttering careless statements so that we are not in conflict with the law,” Mr Mwamba said.
He said politicians should challenge President Lungu on the ballot rather than using schemes such as eligibility and other methods to disrupt a proper general election.
And Chief Mabumba of Mansa, who is a retired magistrate, said the law protects President Lungu to contest next year’s general election.
The traditional leader said the opposition should stop using “bogus” pieces of legislation in their heads to undermine the Constitutional Court ruling as that was contemptuous.
Chief Mabumba said bringing up the debate of President Lungu’s eligibility was contemptuous because the Constitutional Court had already presided and a precedence had been set.
He said Article 106 of the constitution allows President Lungu to contest the election as he only concluded the late President Michael Sata’s term.
LUNGU ELIGIBILITY DEBATE IRRELEVANT – GBM
