FORMER president Edgar Lungu will spend more than K200,000 on transporting cadres for his eligibility case hearing at the Supreme Court in Lusaka this morning.
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His henchmen spent the whole of last night rounding up people in various compounds in the capital city to be bused so they can put up a show of support and solidarity to the former president.
According to an instruction sent through in their exclusive WhatsApp group, each constituency should contribute 10 bus loads of cadres.
“Good afternoon constituency chairmen. Tomorrow there’s eligibility ruling for our party President Dr ECL at Supreme Court of zambia. You are all directed to hire 10 Rosa busses per constituency at K1000 kwacha go / come. The district secretary and the district treasure are going to register every bus upon arrival and should be at the court starting from 0730hrs. Ten busses per constituency,” read the directive also seen by Kalemba.
In this case Youth activist Michelo Chizombe l has filed a petition in the Constitutional Court questioning Lungu’s third bid to participate in elections.
He wants the Court to declare that Lungu’s participation in the previous election was unconstitutional.
Chizombe wants the Court to pronounce that Lungu is not eligible to contest a presidential election under the current constitution as read with the now repealed 1991 Constitution (as amended).
The youth activist has cited Lungu, the Electoral Commission of Zambia and the Attorney General as respondents in the matter.
Chizombe argues that Lungu’s nomination and participation in the 2021 presidential election was against the provisions of the law.
But in his answer to the petition Lungu said proceeding with case would be an attempt to give Chizombe an opportunity to re-litigate a matter that has already been decided upon and the same would be in breach of the Res Judicata rule.
Lungu said the Constitutional Court is functus officio ( Lacking authority) after having settled the dust over his eligibility to contest for presidency in future.
The case will be heard by the full bench this morning.
By Mwaka Ndawa
Kalemba April 17, 2024.
