APPETITE BY HICHILEMA TO DEFILE THE CONSTITUTION, RAPE THE JUDICIARY WORRYING – LUNGU
Former President Edgar Lungu says the appetite by President Hakainde to defile the constitution, rape the judiciary and undermine the hard earned democracy is worrying and alarming.
Fellow Citizens.
Today is a sad day in the history of our country as we witness yet again, a another attempt by the President Hakainde Hichilema’s government to alter the course of democracy and good governance in our country to reverse another Constitutional Court decision.
You may all recall that in 2016 under my administration, Mr Hichilema and others challenged through the Concourt, a decision that allowed my cabinet ministers to remain in government and on payroll after the dissolution of parliament. Their argument was that the current constitution of Zambia requires legislators to relinquish their government positions as cabinet and provincial ministers once parliament is dissolved three months before the next Presidential and parliamentary elections.
In 2020, the Concourt ruled in their favour and we all complied and respected the decision.
Consequently, all Ministers in my cabinet were compelled to refund the government all emoluments they received. The court emphasized that the law for ministers to leave government positions after the dissolution of the house is meant to ensure a fair political playing field for candidates within and outside parliament in the next national election.
Today, however, we have sadly read about a Lusaka lawyer challenging the Concourt decision and asking the same court to quash their earlier decision of 2020 on the same matter. From this president, this gesture is both shocking, annoying and disappointing for every Zambian because it is another high profiled assault of our judiciary, democracy and constitutionalism.
Ladies and gentlemen, WAKE UP and see that what happened on 10th December 2024 when the newly re-constituted Concourt took away my right to recontest the 2026 elections is about to recur through this Hichilema’s sponsored proxy. The appetite by President HH to defile the constitution, rape the judiciary and undermine our hard earned democracy is worrying and alarming!
I am appealing to every Zambian to stand up and be counted for once: employ all legal means possible including courts and peaceful demonstrations to stop this bogus court petition from the UPND executive because allowing it will undermine the principle of separation of powers and instantly kill our democracy.
I warned on 10th December. 2024 that “the decision to bar me then transcended the fate of Edgar Chagwa Lungu. It speaks to the erosion of judicial independence, the weaknesses of our democratic foundations, and the weaponization of our institutions for short term gains”.
Fellow Zambians, the country suffers and democracy dies when you choose to remain silent in the face of grave injustice.
Stop this NOW!
May God bless you all.
Dr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu
Sixth Republican President of Zambia
PF President
Tonse Alliance Chairman