Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
Supreme Court
The Supreme Court has refused to grant the opposition UPND an interim order to block the inauguration of President-elect Edgar Lungu tomorrow.
Judge Nigel Mutuna dismissed the applications with costs when he delivered ruling in chambers this afternoon.
In his ruling, Judge Mutuna said he could not, as a single judge, hear an application for a conservatory order which the UPND was seeking.
He explained in his ruling that owing to the fact that the Supreme Court is at par with the Constitutional Court, he cannot, as a single judge, overrule the decision of full bench of the Constitutional Court.
Judge Mutuna says the application by the UPND for a conservatory order should have thus been filed before the full bench of the Supreme Court.
Judge Mutuna further ruled that he did not see any reason why the appellant should sue the Chief Justice and the Deputy Chief Justice for swearing-in the President-elect and the vice president-elect.
UPND lawyers have however, indicated that they will make the application for a conservatory order to the full bench of the Supreme Court.