MCDONALD Chipenzi says President Edgar Lungu cannot force his 2021 eligibility on Zambians.
“The man is ineligible and waiting to be petitioned in the Constitutional Court at or after nomination,” Chipenzi, the Governance, Elections, Advocacy, Research Services (GEARS) Initiative Zambia executive director, said in a statement.
Chipenzi argues that President Lungu could not hold office as President more than twice.
He reminded the President and his sympathisers that his services at State House were untenable beyond 2021, “unless he wants to commit treason deliberately through the violation of the Constitution.”
Chipenzi stated that it was sad that President Lungu – a lawyer who is supposed to know the law better than some of his sympathisers – was falling into the: “liar’s nest.”
“Relying on the interpretation of a term of office by the Constitutional Court as anchorage for his insatiable appetite to ignore the provision of Article 106(3) of the Constitution of Zambia and re-contest in 2021 general elections will be committing political suicidal and peril,” Chipenzi stated. “President Lungu should not create a constitutional crisis just because those surrounding him want to continue eating at his expense and mislead him to re-contest the 2021 general elections.”
He noted that Lungu was not the only person who could serve as Republican President, both within and outside the PF.
“The country has many Zambians who are also capable of serving. So, he must not feel indispensable,” he stated. “We want to therefore, advise him that unless his aim is also to not only destroy Zambia but his party, his days in State House end on 12 August 2021 and for not more than 30 days thereafter to handover the instruments of power to the President-elect.”
Chipenzi further told President Lungu that there was still life after the presidency and State House.
“After all, he stayed without such before he became such. So if he has so much katundu (goods) amassed while at State House, the best is for him to start packing and transporting them to his retirement house or village now to ease the exit passage than to be voted out by citizens,” Chipenzi stated. “It will be embarrassing for him to exit through the State House doors of shame like some of his predecessor went through due to political misjudgment and for being misled by their so-called advisors, who just want to continue enjoying the trappings of State power.”
Chipenzi stated that President Lungu must swallow his fear of losing being at State House.
“President Lungu cannot force his eligibility on us, as the man is ineligible and waiting to be petitioned in the Constitutional court at or after nomination,” stated Chipenzi. “He must swallow his fear of losing being at State House and undreamt of pride of being a Republican President in his life-time. The sangwapo privilege to serve in that office must not be squandered by him insisting to overrun his constitutional stay in that office.”