Concourt reserves ruling for President Lungus eligibility case to date to be announced

The Constitutional Court has reserved ruling in President Edgar Lungu’s Eligibility case to a date to be announced.

In this matter, four political parties namely Christian democratic party, Zambia republican party, new congress party and citizens democratic party are seeking the court’s interpretation of the constitution with regards President Edgar Lungu’s eligibility to stand in the 2021 elections.

When the matter came up for hearing yesterday, Attorney General Likando Kalaluka said President Lungu qualifies to stand in 2021 because he only served an inherited term between 2015 and 2016 as opposed to the three years considered to be a full term of office by the amended constitution.

On the other hand the Law Association of Zambia and the United Party for National Development (UPND) argued that President Lungu is not eligible to stand in 2021 as he has already served two terms as stipulated by Article 106(3) of the constitution.

And when the matter came up for the continued hearing today, the petitioners’ lawyer Dickson Jere admitted that President Lungu was not vice president when he assumed office in 2015, but that while he was in office, there was an amendment of the constitution, and that the court should therefore determine president Lungu’s eligibility using the amended constitution.

President of the Constitutional court Hildah Chibomba has since reserved ruling in the matter.

And when reached for a comment after adjournment, two of the four petitioners Daniel Pule and Peter Chanda expressed satisfaction that there lawyers have done a good job and can only hope for the best.