CONCOURT JUDGES URGED TO BE CAUTIOUS ABOUT PRECEDENT THEIR DECISION IN ECL’S ELIGIBILITY CASE WILL CREATE
By Leah Ngoma
The Zambia Civil Liberties Union–ZCLU- is urging constitutional court judges that will be presiding on the case involving 3 suspended constitutional court judges and former president Edgar Lungu’s eligibility case to be cautious about the precedents which their decisions will create.
ZCLU Executive Director Isaac Mwanza says the two cases have far reaching implications not only now but even in future especially when bad precedents are set.
Mr Mwanza says it is therefore important for the judges to make decisions that will promote the rule of law rather than political decisions that will appease the current political establishment.
He says it is also important for the presiding judges to defend the security of their tenure because there is no guarantee that once there is a change of government, they will not be followed up just as the case is with the 3 suspended judges.
Green Party President, Peter Sinkamba has filed a petition in the constitutional court, challenging the legality of president Hakainde Hichilema’s decision to suspend three judges based on a recommendation by the Judicial Complaints Commission-JCC, while ruling former president Edgar Lungu`s eligibility case is also expected this month.
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