Nullification Vs Disqualification!
MALANJI, LUSAMBO’S ELIGIBILITY STIRS CONFUSION
By Victoria Kayeye
The Electoral Commission of Zambia has announced that it will not accept nominations from any of the candidates who caused a vacancy in the National Assembly.
ECZ Cooperate Affairs Manager, Patricia Luhanga, says this is in line with Article 72 (4) of the Constitution of Zambia Amendment Act No. 2 of 2016.
This is according to a statement released to Diamond News in Lusaka.
Meanwhile, speaking on the eligibility of Bowman Lusambo to re-contest his seat, the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) says the constitution has gaps on the matter and needs to be reformed to enhance clarity.
He says the constitution needs to be reformed to provide clarity on whether an MP whose seat has been nullified by the Constitutional Court can re-contest.
In a statement, LAZ President, Lungisani Zulu, says the Constitutional Court did not disqualify Mr. Lusambo from re-contesting in the election but merely nullified the seat.
And on former Kwacha Member of Parliament Joseph Malanji, LAZ says Mr. Malanji will be eligible to re-contest the forthcoming By-Election as long as he produces a grade 12 certificate.
