LAZ GUIDES ON ELECTORAL DISPUTES
THE Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) has advised that the presidential elections can be petitioned in the courts of law after the declaration of results.
LAZ president Abyudi Shonga said that though candidates had constitutional rights to be aggrieved with the electoral process the laws provided for mechanisms to address any such grievances.
Mr Shonga said according to the constitution of Zambia, electoral disputes and grievances can be resolved by the courts of law after and not before election results were announced and winners declared by the body mandated to do so.
‘’in respect of presidential elections, Article 101(4) of the Constitution specifically provides that the body mandated to settle disputes and nullify elections is only the constitutional Court, which can only be petitioned within 7 days of a declaration of a winner of the election and not before,’’ he said.
Mr Shonga said that the ECZ could not stop announcing results and declaring results .
He said LAZ therefore reiterated its call on political players, including the head of state who was equally bound by the constitutional provisions according to article 1(3) to give ECZ a chance to discharge its mandate without fear or intimidation.
By ADRIAN MWANZA
