TONSE ALLIANCE DEFIES CONSTITUTIONAL COURT JUDGMENT, MAINTAINS EDGAR LUNGU AS 2026 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE
In a surprising move, the TONSE Alliance has reiterated its support for former President Edgar Lungu as its presidential candidate for the 2026 elections, despite a Constitutional Court judgment that bars him from running again.
Speaking at a media briefing in Lusaka, alliance spokesperson Sean Tembo emphasized that accepting the court’s decision does not necessarily mean agreeing with it. “President Lungu has accepted the court’s decision but does not agree with it,” Tembo clarified.
Tembo further argued that Article 128 of the constitution, which establishes the Constitutional Court, prohibits the court from deviating from its previous decisions. This technicality, according to Tembo, justifies the alliance’s decision to maintain Lungu as their candidate.
This development comes after the TONSE Alliance unveiled Lungu as their presidential candidate earlier this year, with the aim of unseating the current government in 2026.