LUSAKA – The Constitutional Court on Tuesday unanimously ruled that former President EDGAR LUNGU is not eligible to contest the 2026 and future Presidential Elections.
Delivering the watershed judgment which was televised live, the Court ruled that Mr. LUNGU has previously been elected and held office twice in 2015 and 2016 to 2021.
The court has relied on sections two and seven of the 2016 Constitution Act, article 106 sub-article three and article 35 sub-articles two of the 1996 Constitution.
The judgment was delivered by Constitutional Court Deputy President ANOLD SHILIMI on behalf of Court President MARGARET MUNALULA, sitting with judges MAPANI KAWIMBE, MARTIN MUSALUKE, MUDFORD MWANDENGA and KENNETH MULIFE.
Judge JUDY MULONGOTI was however not part of the panel as she was indisposed.
Constitutional judge President MARGARET MUNALULA noted that despite her absence judge MULONGOTI endorsed the judgment.
The Court has also cited its departure from its previous decisions in the DANNY PULE, BAMPI KAPALASA and Legal Resource foundations, as the basis of barring Mr. LUNGU from contesting future Elections.
This is in a matter Youth Activist MICHELO CHIZOMBE sought the Constitutional Court’s determination on whether or not former President EDGAR LUNGU was eligible to contest the 2021 General Elections.
Mr. CHIZOMBE contended that pursuant to article 106 sub article three of the Constitution Mr LUNGU was not eligible to contest the 2021 polls , having held the Presidential Office twice.
- ZNBC Today
