SELF-declared top notch lawyer Edgar Lungu says the re-opening of his eligibility case is illegal and a clear act of lawlessness.
Lungu’s spirited push to become republican president for the third time is being hampered by a court case brought forward by controversial student leader Michelo Chizombe.
The youth wants the Constitutional Court to ban Lungu from taking part in future presidential elections after having held office twice.
But Lungu accuses his successor, President Hakainde Hichilema of being behind the case.
The former president claims some Constitutional Court judges are playing a part in preventing him from contesting future elections.
Addressing his followers on his Facebook page yesterday, Lungu said he had chosen to comment on his eligibility case, which is an active Court case on reasons that it is important to the livelihood and wellbeing of the country.
“You are aware that recently there have been legal petitions against my eligibility to stand as a presidential candidate in both 2021 and the future (2026); This matter has been settled by the constitutional Court. The re-opening of what was settled remains illegal and a clear act of lawlessness,” Lungu said.
He accused Michelo Chizombe who is questioning his eligibility to contest the 2021 and future elections after being sworn into office twice, of being an agent of State House.
“It is now common knowledge that the petitioners are surrogates of State House, and the UPND. We have all seen pictures of the petitioners with my competitor, President Hakainde Hichilema, and in many cases with his ministers, and senior UPND leaders,”Lungu alleged.
He said he was not moved with the petitioner’s political affiliation, but judges having a hand in maneuvers to prevent him from contesting in the next election.
Lungu said it was the alleged involvement of some judges in the plot to bar him from being on the ballot, that made him to ask them to disqualify themselves from handling his case.
“This doesn’t bother us. However, what bothers us is the credible information that members of the Judiciary are keen or have demonstrated interest to participate in these political and illegal schemes to bar me from participating in elections,” he claimed.
“It is for this reason that we have raised a petition of recusal, on the need for some judges to recuse themselves, to create distance, promote the sense of impartiality and remove those perceived to have vested interest in the case.”
Lungu said he hoped and prayed his application currently before the Court will be respected in order to restore confidence in the Courts and the Judiciary as a whole.
Lungu said he was disheartened that some professionals have been removed from office and punished for doing their job professionally.
“I have in mind the unconstitutional removal and harassment of the former director of public prosecutions Lillian Siyunyi, registrar of societies Thandiwe Mhende and the recent suspension of Constitutional Court judges among others,” he said.
“All the complaints against the judges were comprehensively dealt with. We see the matter without cause or justification has been re-opened and the judges now stand suspended.”
He said the suspension of the three Constitutional Court judges whom he appointed among them; Ann Sitali, Mungeni Mulenga and Palan Mulonda was serious and undermines the rule of law and democracy in the country.
By Mwaka Ndawa
Kalemba October 2, 2024.
