Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
YALI Governance Advisor Isaac Mwanza
The Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) has called on Chief Justice Irene Mambilima to set up elections tribunal following some of the stunning decisions made by the courts of law.
The Constitutional Court has ruled that serving councillors are not eligible to contest the July 26 Lusaka mayoral by-election even if they resigned from their current positions.
A panel of five judges, however, on Friday ruled that a serving councillor who chooses to resign from his or her position can only contest an election after a full term of a council.
But YALI Governance Advisor Isaac Mwanza says the taking of the matter for the determination by the Constitutional Court was very timely and saves the country’s governance institutions from embarrassment that may have befallen them.
Mr. Mwanza says one thing that this recent judgment seems to prove is the independence of the Court which has been repeatedly questioned when people lose cases.
He says the Chief Justice must constitute a Local Government Elections Tribunal before nominations to prepare for challenges to nominations which must be filed and heard within 28 days.
Meanwhile, Electoral Expert MacDonald Chipenzi says this is a good judgment as it will avoid having more by-elections.
Mr. Chipenzi states that it is an exciting ruling and it must be supported by all stakeholders.