2021 eligibility debate should not focus on Lungu – PF

Sat, 04 Feb 2017 12:31:04 +0000

THE Patriotic Front (PF) has rubbished Rainbow Party leader Wynter Kabimba’s U-turn on President Edgar Lungu’s eligibility to stand in 2021.

PF deputy spokesperson Frank Bwalya told the Daily Nation in an interview yesterday that the opposition leader’s latest position that President Lungu was not eligible to stand in 2021 did not mean that the petition before the Constitutional Court must be withdrawn.

Four opposition political parties have petitioned the Constitutional Court to interpret Article 106 of the amended Republican Constitution regarding one’s eligibility to stand for republican presidency.

“The debate concerning Article 106 of the amended Constitution should not be centred on President Lungu because the Constitution does not know individuals. The Constitution stipulates provisions which do not refer to individuals but to laws.

“We want to put it on record as PF that this debate is not about President Lungu and therefore it will be good that people who want to comment try to see the distinction. President Lungu only comes in because he happens to be an incumbent with dynamics that have raised debate regarding the same constitutional provisions.

“As a party we know that the matter is before the Constitutional Court where four opposition political parties have petitioned the court to interpret Article 106. We remain very patient, waiting for the Constitutional Court to decide,” Mr Bwalya said.

He said the PF could not label Mr Kabimba as inconsistent after the Rainbow Party’s legal team realized that his initial position was misguided.

“Now they want to give a different position but it is up to them. It does not mean that their new position is gospel truth and that the matter should be withdrawn from the Constitutional Court.

‘‘The Constitutional Court comprises of judges who have a constitutional mandate to interpret the Constitution. So we still continue to look up to them for guidance in terms of interpretation of this same clause,” he said.