By Patricia Mbewe
The Young African Leaders Initiative –YALI- says Constitutional Lawyer, John Sangwa’s recent statement that President Edgar Lungu is not eligible to contest the 2021 election is contempt of court and is meant to undermine the institutions of governance.
YALI is concerned that the behavior of Mr. Sangwa is trying to argue a matter that was settled by the courts of law.
Addressing the media in Lusaka today over the eligibility of President Lungu to contest the 2021 election, YALI President Andrew Ntewewe states that it is abnormal for a senior legal personnel like Mr. Sangwa to want to argue a matter that has been competently settled by the courts of law.
Reacting to Mr. Sangwa’s recent statement that the head of state does not qualify to contest elections for the third time as the constitution clearly bars him from doing so, Mr. Ntewewe argues that just as the constitutional court ruled, president lungu is eligible to contest the 2021 election because he did not serve a term when he ruled between 2015 and 2016 following the death of late president Michael Sata.
In 2018, the constitutional court ruled that President Edgar Lungu is eligible to contest the 2021 general elections, saying the presidential tenure from 25th January 2015 to 13th September 2016 does not constitute a full term of office.
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