FORMER cabinet minister Given Lubinda has condemned the live broadcast of the eligibility case for former President Edgar Lungu which is currently underway at the Supreme Court today.
Lubinda wondered why such a decision was never made in other high profile cases or better still why the main hearing was not televised.
Lubinda has however indicated that the matter will not come to its conclusion should the Court rule against his boss Edgar Lungu, warning that the Constitutional Court should be ready to entertain a petition from the PF regarding the same matter.
Speaking at a press briefing yesterday, the emotionally charged former minister of justice said that broadcasting live the judgement is not going to be useful to the nation.
“Why was the law not amended to broadcast other judgements? Of what use is it to permit the broadcast of a judgment? Of what use is it to inform the public about a judgement whose argument they didn’t attend? The arguments that were presented for and against the matter were not brought to the public. Why only the final judgement?” Lubinda wondered.
He said that today’s judgement is not going to put a close to the matter but will only invite more petitions, accusing President Hichilema of having influenced the decision of the judiciary.
Lubinda said who ever will be aggrieved with today’s decision should be allowed to go back to Court and request it to review its decision.
“The very fact that the court allowed that this matter be tried a fifth time means that there are many more coming. We are saddened by Hichilema’s insatiable appetite for power, he has opened a pandora box whose keys he has thrown away. There’s no way that he’s going to close it, whatever the outcome, make no mistake, you have not seen the end of this matter,” warned Lubinda.
He further insisted that whether eligible or not, Lungu will still stand for elections in 2026 under the Tonse Alliance ticket.
By Catherine Pule
Kalemba, December 10, 2024
