REMEMBER YOUR CONSTITUTIONAL MANDATE AS YOU DELIVER ELIGIBILITY JUDGEMENT, HON CHISANGA IMPLORES CONCOURT JUDGES
…as the PF Legal Chair urges Chief justice to vacate decision to carry live broadcast of the judgement
Friday, December 6th 2024 (SmartEagles)
Patriotic Front Chairperson for Legal George Chisanga has appealed to the judges of Constitutional Court to remember their constitutional mandate that they wield and the duty that they owe to the Republic of Zambia as they deliver judgement in the eligibility case involving Sixth Republican President Edgar Chagwa Lungu.
The Constitutional Court has set 10th December, 2024 on which to deliver judgement in the matter stemming from a petition by Citizen Michelo Chizombe who is challenging President Lungu’s eligibility to contest in the 2021 elections as well as future election.
And Hon Chisanga says under the Constitution, judicial power just like executive and legislative power, belongs to the people of Zambia hence it is a rare privilege for one to be given an opportunity to serve as a Constitutional Court judge.
“Please apply yourselves to the duty that you owe to this nation. Consider the levels of accountability that is expected of you as people with a unique privilege of serving the nation as a Constitutional Court judges,’ he implored the ConCourt judges.
Hon Chisanga says the most important thing the judges should bear in mind is that they are out there to do justice which must not only be done, but must also be seen to be done.
Speaking at a press briefing today, he has observed that there is too much controversy surrounding the eligibility case this time around because there is too much of a political agenda around the matter.
Hon Chisanga however states that the courts are trained, experienced and can extricate themselves from the politics surrounding a case and they can decide a case based only on the law and the constitution.
“I expect that this time around, we are going to have judges that the nation can be proud of once they deliver a judgement in the eligibility case,” he said.
Meanwhile, Hon Chisanga has implored the Chief Justice Mumba Malila to vacate the decision to broadcast the live proceedings of the ConCourt judgement in the eligibility case on 10th December, 2024.
The Lukashya MP has further questioned the motivation behind the decision to broadcast the judgement live on national television.
He states that the appropriate time to conduct a live broadcast of proceedings would have been at a time when arguments were being advanced so that the public could hear and appreciate both sides of the coin.
“The timing is so controversial. What has motivated the Judiciary to announce that cameras can be brought in the court at the tail end of the case when the arguments have been closed, the submissions made and the only thing remaining is for the court to read the judgement?” Hon Chisanga wondered.
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