11th October, 2023
Press Release
ECL’S WRONGS WHILE IN OFFICE MAY CREATE WAR IN FUTURE IF NOT CORRECTED – CHINYAMA
……..A nation that closes it’s eyes to the evil of the past can never meet it’s future with fairness
THE DRAGGING of former president Edgar Lungu to the Constitutional Court by a youth activist known as Michelo Chizombe seeking a declaration that the former wasn’t eligible to contest the August, 2021 presidential vote, and that he isn’t eligible to contest future elections can’t pass without a comment. We need to salute this youth activist for his brave gesture as it is purely aimed at correcting a past wrong which may possibly create law if not correctly adjudicated upon.
This youth has impressed us as a party here in Chilanga district because he has raised a very pertinent and crucial issue that deserves the attention of the legal system, and the entire nation. His argument that the former president’s inclusion on the 2021 presidential ballot was unconstitutional, and that he isn’t eligible to contest future presidential elections under the current constitution as read with the now-repealed 1991 constitution among other reliefs isn’t a matter some closed minds should look at as political witch-hunt, but a noble cause that can prevent wars in future. Our constitution clearly states that if one has held office twice, or have held office twice, that person isn’t eligible for third attempt.
At a time when progressive legal minds like John Sangwa SC openly opined that ECL wasn’t eligible for the 2021 presidential ballot, rifraffs in PF called him names. If you recall very well, even ECL had to intimidate the judges. He had to go to North Western province to warn Concourt judges here in Lusaka against entertaining the issue of eligibility which was blowing hot at the time. He warned that he was going to deal with whoever was going to stop him from contesting the 2021 presidential vote.
You see, rule of law demnds that nobody is above the law, but under ECL, anything was possible. These guys had completely replaced the rule of law framework with the rule of the jungle. This was very, very, very bad for the country’s administration. No wonder our mothers at Soweto market would pay levies to PF carders as opposed to paying to council. PF carders would strangle anyone resisting their many illegal schemes with impunty. On the political front, PF carders would follow opponents at graveyards and cause mayhem without being answerable for their atrocities. PF carders in police uniform would shoot or teargas people opposed to the then ruling party without being questioned. They did all this because they were inspired and powered by ECL. If you look at their party regalia of all the PF carders who used to beat or kill people, it has an inscription which reads ‘Powered by ECL’. They did all this because they knew that ECL, who did not handover power to the speaker when there was an active presidential petition in our courts in 2016, was going to protect them because he was above the law.
As Chilanga, we feel this move by this young man is very welcome. It’s good that as a country, we now have an opportunity to revisit the wrongs that were perpetuated by ECL and his cronies in the judiciary. I say so because there will be two lessons here; i) no future president would ever want to switch to jungle law after swearing to protect the constitution, and ii), these past wrongs won’t become laws once corrected. If we are not going to correct ECL’s past wrongs, other presidents will copy these wrong things, and when you say a thing about a certain issue, they will be referring to ECL and saying ‘munzathu munamulekelela.’
In conclusion, allow me to once more express my gratitude to this Chizombe guy. This move will prevent wars in future. We can’t ignore such serious breaches of our statute. A nation that closes its eyes to the evil of the past can never meet its future with fairness.
Chinyama B. Chisambwe
CHILANGA DISTRICT UPND CHAIRMAN
Contact: 0977316202
CIC PRESS TEAM
Rubbish
What has he said wrong that you are rubbishing. He is opening even your eyes too, you frood.
The has to clear this matter for once and all.
What has this petitioner brought that is new and was not overruled by the majority judgement? Let’s hear what this is all about. Too much ado about nothing me thinks.