Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
The Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) has welcomed the Supreme Court ruling allowing the three pending parliamentary by-elections in Malambo,Mulobezi and Petauke central constituencies to go ahead.
FODEP Executive Director MacDonald Chipenzi in a statement says the Supreme Court ruling on the trio has been overdue and has brought relief to the people of the three constituencies, who have stayed ,for close to two years ,without parliamentary representation.
Mr Chipenzi sates that FODEP has consistently argued that the three seats could have been filled a long time had it not been for political interference in the earlier decisions of the Courts and the Electoral Commission of Zambia.
He says this interference detrimentally infringed on and violated the rights of people in the three constituencies to representation and to be voted and to vote and should not be entertained in future.
Mr Chipenzi adds that this should serve as a great lesson and should make political leaders seriously reflect on the need to always respect the Republican Constitution as a supreme law of the land.
He also notes the need to relook at the legal provisions which brought about this delay in the holding of the three parliamentary by-elections with a view of reforming the Electoral Act No.12 of 2006.
Mr Chipenzi has since appealed to political parties and people in the three constituencies to get a leaf on how to maintain peace and participate maturely in an election from the recently held parliamentary by-elections Senga Hill ,Chawama and Masaiti.