By KMM
PF supporter.
THE END GAME OF THE ELIGIBILITY OF PRESIDENT EDIGAR CHAGWA LUNGU.
Our political atmosphere is suffused with discussions of whether president edigar chagwa lungu is eligible or not. A discussion that has challenged scholars and enthusiasts to research and dissect our constitution.
Two opinions have imaged with the first one supporting eligibility of ECL following the
2018 ruling by constitution court while the other opposing this. This second school of thought base its argument on the interpretation of the two constitutions that were straddled by the transitioning
period.
They also argue that the courts did not address the eligibility of ECL as this question was considered otiose due to the rephrasing of the first presented question.
For exceptional politicians and consequential voters this question should not end at whether ECL is eligible but should seek to elucidate the end game for the Patriotic front and the opposition. It is of no doubt that the patriotic front wants to fill in a presidential candidate who is already familiar to voters and will be a quick sell as designated in honourable Tutwa Nugulube’s view during the 5th March Muvi interview. This in a myopic view sits well with regards to access of public media, use of
government machinery and financing of campaigns. Unfortunately, this end game for the patriotic front lacks strategy and it’s too predictable for the opponent’s sharpshooters.
The fact that ECL’s eligibility is splotched with constitutional questions leaves his candidacy at the mercy of political hangmen and legal bounty hunters. To wish for a positive and smooth end game for proponents of
ECL’s eligibility is wishful thinking as all cannons are pointing at him. Not only are the opposition excited about contesting against ECL during 2021 elections but have embraced his eligibility as a legal leverage for their ultimate strike. This is why their seasoned lawyers are religiously broadcasting that ECL is eligible and should be allowed to stand under the PF ticket.
What the patriotic front leadership is not considering is the extent of damage this eligibility discourse is having and how ECL’s victory is becoming more blurred. This cyclone surrounding his candidacy makes him weak and vulnerable to tactical attacks by opponents. The mood within the party has shown that president ECL does not enjoy majority support and may see an exit of
members during and after general conference if he is maintained. These members may seek the courts to intervene, a move that will further divide the party at a time that is crucial for mobilization.
This an added advantage to the opposition who from the onset have indicated that their end game
will involve blocking nomination of ECL. This is not only intended to stop his nomination but also
destabilize the party further. This will give their campaign waves high euphoria crests that will pull in undecided voters and leave open wounds to the PF party, too critical to attend to. The end game for the opposition involves ECL as PF candidate as he is an easy target, politically and legally smudged with controversy. The economy under his rule has suffered so much turmoil that an ordinary man will not accept unnatural calamities as a cause.
The party image has seen a shifting perception by the voters from being a pro poor party to an exorbitant, flashy one. Why then would the party ignore all these signals? Why do the leaders want to be remembered as the ones who ignored obvious warnings of the end game at the expense of losing a presidential election? The court’s decision on whether or not to stop president ECL’s nomination will not matter much but the damage the process will cause on the party will be evident. ECL is a fatal risk to take by the party.
CIC PRESS TEAM