ECL will be on the ballot, vows Lubinda

By GIDEON NYENDWA

GIVEN Lubinda has confidently insisted that former President Edgar Lungu will be on the ballot and contest the 2026 general election to challenge President Hakainde Hichilema, whose leadership many Zambians are disillusioned and disappointed with.
Mr Lubinda, the Patriotic Front (PF) vice president has vowed that whether President Hichilema likes it or not, Zambians are already decided that former President Lungu shall be their choice to replace a leader whom he says has lamentably failed to meet the expectations of the people.
He said any departure from what the Constitutional Court had ruled in the last five decisions in which former President Lungu had been declared eligible to contest the presidency in future elections would be nothing but lawlessness, which shall not be accepted.
He said the PF has always had plan B against the schemes of the UPND government to knock former President Lungu off the ballot using the courts, stating that should the unexpected happen, another plan shall be unveiled as time evolved.

“It is clear that the one who is holding the PF is not Mr Sampa or Robert Chabinga. Those two are just simple tools being used by Mr. Hichilema.
Mr Hichilema is running two political parties…his UPND and PF and he seems to be more in love with the PF than his own political party.
We know that Miles was hired, used, abused and now dumped. They are now using Chabinga, who seems to be so overzealous to the extent that he can, with impunity ignore a court order knowing the State will be clapping for him,” Mr Lubinda said. Mr Lubinda said in a country where judges were being thrown out from the bench like they were firing maids, it was obvious that some who may not be strong enough were most likely going to do the bidding on behalf of President Hichilema. He said the PF was however aware that there were some judges who were willing to stand up to defend their careers as well as the country’s democracy and the entire judiciary.
Mr Lubinda said the PF still had confidence in the Judiciary, stating that had they lost the trust in the Zambian courts, the former ruling party would have not gone to seek recourse.
He disclosed that the PF had attempted to resolve the confusion with Mr Sampa, the Matero law maker but failed because the former ruling party was in the hands of the UPND government.
Mr Lubinda claimed the one who was holding the PF was Mr Hichilema and not Mr Sampa and that they have not gone into discussions with the head of State because he had not admitted.