By Eukeria M’banga
A Political Analyst Mark Simuuwe has charged that President Edgar Lungu is knocked down on his public pronouncement of eligibility to contest election as President in 2021.
Simuuwe refered article 106(1) in part from the constitution which says a term of Presidency is five years which the Concourt also ruled.
“Article 106(1) of the constitution says a term is 5 years(in part).The concourt also said “a term is five and the period EL served before 2016 cannot be considered a term.”(in part)” Simuuwe recalled.
And the Political Analyst has indicated that President Edgar Lungu is knocked out by Article 106(3) which says a person who has held office twice is not eligible to stand(in part).
He says that the argument is not whether someone has served a full term under the circumstances but that one has held office twice .
“So the issue is between “holding offfice” and “what constitutes a term” and whether the two mean the same” he stated.
Mr Simuuwe says the answer to such is that they do not..
He further refered to Concourt decision that it looked at holding of office as being in a position of control.
And the question is what was ECL before 2016 elections when he had power to appoint cabinet ministers.
Simuuwe says that Mr Lungu was President and held office at State house emphasing that the constitution says a person who has held office twice is not eligible to stand.
This week President Edgar Lungu amidst a resurfaced debate on his eligibility announced that he was eligible to stand next year as President claiming that he only served one term because the 2015 was for the late Michael Sata.
President Lungu was elected and sworn into office in 2015 following the demise of President Sata and his term ended after the general election in 2016.
In 2016 he was elected as President and sworn into office thus serving two terms.
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