Chipenzi McDonald
CONTRA TO ASSERTIONS THAT IT WILL BE DIFFICULT TO REMOVE FORMER PRESIDENT EDGAR CHAGWA LUNGU’S IMMUNITY: LET ME DEMONSTRATE HOW IT IS EASY TO REMOVE IT
Firstly, PF is at its weakest point in its political existence and history after the excruciating defeat in the August 12, 2021, General Election which has seen high profiled party officials resigning or intending to resign.
So a number of PF MPs may be angry with ECL for leading them to the excruciating electoral defeat and may want to punish him too for his political arrogance.
Therefore, this is how easy it will be or is to remove Lungu’s immunity using the provisions of Article 98 of the Constitution of Zambia:
1) President HH has privileged information regarding his predecessor’s alleged misdeeds and commissions and omissions of his predecessor and in consultations with lawyers and state attorneys, a prima facie case can be established against his predecessor;
2) President HH has power to summon the National Assembly and constitute it into parliament with his presence and detail his findings against his predecessor;
3) The Speaker has powers to constitute a selective committee of Parliament with composition as her preserve which can’t be dictated by anybody;
4) The UPND has simple majority in Parliament to constitute that select committee which can easily find President EDGAR CHAGWA Lungu with a prima facie case;.
5) Precedence was set during the constitution of Bill 10 select committee which saw nominated MP in Raphael NAKACINDA, a faithful of President Lungu chairing the select Committee and the Committee composed of mostly pro Bill 10 MPs.
6) In parliament upnd has 90 MPs and, if the assumption of the 13 Independents, one PNUP, One Veep and one deputy speaker vote with UPND is to go by, the total number in favour of UPND will be 106 short of only 6 MPs.
This shortage can easily be solicited from some PF disgruntled MPs to meet the 112MPs 2/3 requirement for the removal of ex-President Lungu’s immunity.
This is the easiest assignment for UPND and President HH, I believe than the Bill 10 debacle which UPND had no numbers not even 1/3 majority but defeated the Bill, can be executed within hours of Parliament convening
So, those thinking that UPND and President HH will have an uphill battle and hard to remove Lungu’s immunity are just trying to tell President HH to quicken the pace of moving and removing Lungu’s immunity.
I submit.
McDonald Chipenzi