Change 14 day law Mumbi challenges UPND MPs

Fri, 14 Apr 2017 11:15:51 +0000

By AARON CHIYANZO

UPND Members of Parliament should consider moving a motion in parliament when it resumes to have the 14 days period in which presidential election petition should be heard extended instead of lying to their supporters that the petition is still ongoing in the courts, Patriotic Front (PF) secretary general Mumbi Phiri has said.

Ms Phiri said that the UPND should desist from misleading people that their presidential petition against the election of President Edgar Lungu was still being heard.

She said at a Press briefing that there was no presidential petition before the constitutional court as the 14 days period was long gone.

Ms Phiri reiterated that the UPND had only themselves to blame for the delay in tabling their petition before the courts of law.

She explained that the constitution was clear that an election was supposed to be petitioned within 14 days but that the UPND deliberately delay to petition.

Ms Phiri advised UPND MPs to move a motion that would have the 14 days period extended if they felt that it was not adequate. “The UPND were constitutionally given chance to petition the election results but they kept on delaying until it was too late. So they should not blame anyone for that because there was no way the petition could be heard beyond the 14 days,

“Maybe their MPs should move a motion when parliament resumes to have the 14 day period extended. That’s the best they can do for now” she said.

And Ms Phiri emphasized that President Lungu was the winner of the 2016 general elections and that it was the fact which UPND should accept.

Meanwhile, Ms Phiri commended the law enforcement officers for ensuring that Mr Hichilema was brought to book.

She said that there was nothing unfair about Mr Hichilema’s arrest as what transpired in Mongu had put the life of the President at stake.

Ms Phiri noted that a lot of people would have died after Mr Hichilema blocked the Presidential motorcade because of the UPND leader’s carelessness.