Chikuse oppose 30 days to hear, determine presidential election petition

RPP Secretary General Leslie Chikuse

Governance Activist Leslie Chikuse has opposed plans to increase the number of days for hearing the presidential petition from the current 14 days to 30 days saying this will pose a risk to national security.

The Government Technical Committee on refining the country’s constitution has recommended during a workshop held in Siavonga that a presidential election petition should be heard and determined in 30 working days.

But Mr. Chikuse tells QTV News that national security was at risk during the 2016 presidential election petition as there was no one to run the affairs of the country because the president was not sworn in.

He has since proposed that the presidential petition should instead be heard within 21 days.

YALI President Andrew Nthewewe

But Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) President Andrew Nthewewe says his organization supports the 30 days recommendation for hearing the presidential petition.