PFF CLARIFIES ELIGIBILITY OF FORMER INMATES AND PARDONED PERSONS TO CONTEST PUBLIC OFFICE.
The Prisoners’ Future Foundation has clarified that formerly incarcerated persons, including those granted presidential pardons, are not permanently barred from contesting for public office in Zambia.
Speaking in Kabwe, PFF Executive Director Geoffrey Mayamba said the Constitution of Zambia clearly distinguishes between individuals currently serving prison sentences and those who have completed their sentences, either in full or through a lawful presidential pardon.
Mr. Mayamba explained that under Articles 100 and 70 of the Constitution, a person serving a sentence of imprisonment is disqualified from contesting for the offices of President or Member of Parliament. Additionally, anyone who has served a prison term of at least three years within the immediate past five years is also disqualified. However, he emphasized that this restriction is time-bound and does not amount to a lifetime ban.
Mr. Mayamba further stated that a presidential pardon, granted under Article 97, legally brings a sentence to an end and is recognized in calculating the eligibility period. The Foundation says similar principles apply to local government positions, where only those currently serving sentences are disqualified.
PFF has since called on political players, the media, and the public to rely on the law and avoid stigma, stressing that matters of eligibility ultimately rest with the courts.
By Herman Machacha
Power FMZ