By GRACE CHAILE LESOETSA
ATTORNEY General Likando Kalaluka has submitted that President Edgar Lungu’s eligibility to contest the August 12, elections has already been adjudicated upon by the Constitutional Court.
Mr Kalaluka stated that the Constitutional Court adjudicated upon the matter under the case of Dr Daniel Pule, Mr Wright Musoma, Pastor Peter Chanda and Mr Robert Mwanza vs. Attorney General.
The case also had PF Secretary General Davies Mwila, the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) and then UPND Secretary General Steven Katuka
He said this was under selected judgement number 60 of 2019.
In the Judgement, a full bench of the court ruled that President Lungu was eligible to contest the forth-coming elections.
Leading the bench, ConCourt president Justice Hildah Chibomba, said the amount of time that the incumbent President served following the death of his predecessor Michael Sata could not be considered a full term and that he was serving his first term after his victory in the 2016 polls.
Mr Kalaluka made the submissions in his affidavit in opposition to originating summons by UPND Katuba Member of Parliament (MP) Bampi Kapalasa and civil activist Joseph Busenga who have petitioned the ConCourt to clearly state whether President Lungu qualified to contest the elections.
And the Attorney General submitted that article 70 of the Constitution was clear that an MP vacates or loses his or her seat when he or she is serving a sentence of imprisonment.
Mr Kalaluka urged the court to quickly dispose of the matter as it has a bearing on the holding of the general elections with aspiring Presidential candidates scheduled to pay nomination fees between May 1 and 9, this year.
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