CALLING FOR EARLY ELECTIONS VS FORCING A SITTING PRESIDENT TO GIVE UP POWER
Dear admin, i have been following the debates on social media regarding the statement that the Former Republican president Edgar Chagwa Lungu made recently and the interesting reference to a similar statement that Mr Hakainde Hichilema made when in opposition talking of calling for early elections. Many have insinuated that what HH said in opposition is the same as what ECL just said the other day.
The truth is that it’s not the same. No, its not the same thing…listen to the two videos carefully. Asking a sitting president to call for early elections so that the electorate can decide whether the sitting president should continue as president or not is one thing (demanding for a fresh mandate given prevailing circumstances… it is constitutional).
On the other hand, Forcing a president to give up power through an uprising instigated by a group basically involves the use of force or violence in politics to force a sitting president to vacate office, which is another version of a coup and has no space in a democracy.
What ECL said is basically advocating for is the use of force or violence in politics to unseat a serving president and it is not only unconstitutional but illegal and has no space in a democracy. Forcing a sitting presiting to vacate office through force or violent means in politics when the avenue of polls is available is a desperate measure and has underdesirable consequences on the social political stability of the country.
Unfortunately, thats the truth and nothing justifies what ECL said, its wrong and unacceptable.
JZM
Lungu has just crossed the line…
It will be interesting to hear sleeeepppyyy Jack Mwiimbu’s parliamentary statement on Tuesday.
Lungu has finally crossed the line this time. Just look at Given Lubinda’s facial expression on the picture. It tells you all about his opinion on what ECL was saying that moment.