EDGAR Lungu’s blood is boiling over the decision of his successor, President Hakainde Hichilema to suspend three Constitutional Court Judges.
Using his executive powers drawn from Article 144 (g) of the Constitution of the Republic of Zambia, President Hichilema suspended Justices Anne Siali, Mungeni Mulenga and Palan Mulonda.
According to State House statement, suspension came after recommendation from the Judicial Complaints Commission that suggested the trio be subjected to an investigation.
But the suspension has not sat well with former Head of State, Lungu who convened a press press briefing and mini rally at the PF headquarters in Lusaka to lament the development.
He threw political jabs and warned that Zambia is veering toward ‘dictatorship’.
“Changing judges like football players is not good at all. Somebody is about to deliver justice and you remove him and bring in another, it is not good,” Lungu said.
Lungu decried what he sees as an erosion of democratic institutions, claiming that the current government seeks to control all branches of power.
“We are at a crossroads as a nation,” he said. “One man wants to control the judiciary, the legislature, and the executive. We cannot allow this, it is a danger to democracy.”
Lungu expressed concern over the implications of the judiciary’s suspension on the rule of law, urging Zambians and the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) to stand up against what he termed a “departure from democratic norms.”
He emphasised that the judiciary’s independence is essential to Zambia’s democratic integrity.
“If we lose the judiciary, we lose the nation, democracy, and everything we hold dear,” Lungu stated, adding that the move signals the rise of a one-man dictatorship under President Hichilema.
Lungu, who has faced legal battles over his eligibility to contest the 2026 presidential elections, affirmed his confidence in the judiciary despite the current upheaval.
“We have been to court four times, this is the fifth time…we expect the same justice as before. I believe I will be on the ballot in 2026,” he said.
Addressing his supporters after the briefing with the media, the infuriated Lungu urged them not to succumb to fear, particularly in light of the increased police presence surrounding his meeting.
He warned that the government’s actions are not just targeted at him but at the Zambian people’s democratic rights.
“If anyone should be fearful, it’s him (President Hichilema). We are many, and we are right…We cannot allow one man to use our resources to suppress us,” Lungu declared.
He further called on the church and civil society to counsel the President on the importance of separation of powers, suggesting that Hichilema’s actions would have devastating consequences for the entire nation.
By Moses Makwaya
Kalemba September 25, 2024
