Lusaka, March 23, ZANIS—State House says the impeachment motion against President Edgar Lungu which the United Party for National Development (UPND) has taken to parliament will not succeed because they do not have enough members in the house.
And President Edgar Lungu says the impeachment process against him has potential to jeopardize the dialogue process between the ruling party and the opposition which is being facilitated by the commonwealth.
The President said through his spokesperson Amos Chanda that the dialogue between political parties will be jeopardized as a result of the impeachment motion which has been taken to Parliament as it will require the concentration of the executive.
Mr. Chanda told journalists at State House today that the President is not bothered by the action by the opposition UPND because he knows that it will not succeed.
Mr. Chanda said the motion requires the support of two thirds of the Members of Parliament for it to pass which he said the UPND does not have.
He noted that in the current state the impeachment motion can only succeed if the ruling party want to impeach their own president and not the opposition.
Mr. Chanda noted that the ruling party has the majority Members in Parliament and has good working relations with 12 out of the 14 independent MPs which makes the impeachment process impossible for the opposition party.
He further explained that the President will continue to discharge his duties as Head of State.
Mr. Chanda noted that even if the opposition have the democratic right to take any motion to the house, they should ensure that the motions they raise have substance.
He said the impeachment motion is full of gossip and rumors which does not deserve the dignity of the house.
Mr. Chanda said the opposition has just repeated the matters that failed in the courts which he said is calculated at undermining the democratic institutions.
The ruling party, Patriotic Front has 88 MPs, while the UPND has 58 and the remaining 14 are independent.
For the motion in parliament to go through it requires two third majority which translates into about 110 MPs while for the motion to be put in the table of the house it requires one third of the MPs.
Therefore the opposition can only manage to move a motion in parliament with the help of the ruling party and the Independent MPs.
“to parliament will not succeed because they do not have enough members in the house.
And President Edgar Lungu says the impeachment process against him has potential to jeopardize the dialogue process between the ruling party and the opposition which is being facilitated by the commonwealth.”
Lazy Lungu knows that his MPs will support him irrespective of what he has done …Zambia is not RSA, the caliber of MPs is likened to having 30 dull Bowmans …..UPND foools should have used the energy for something else.
I wonder what this has to do with dialogue…Lazy Lungu is such an insecure man.
@Jay Jay
You are right this time.we said!!brother, I like your caliber. I hope you have applied for dual citizen baroste Kingdom(not zambia) and UK.. We need your caliber
This is the time for all MPs who truly love Zambia to put their parties aside and save Zambia. Your country needs you. Please impeach this lumpen. Make us proud and put your country first!
@2018
Those chaps in parliament love money, they don’t love zambia, as we speak they have eat money already, ,, , so they will do the wrong thing … I promise you
There we go. I love this ba UPNDEAD baitaya!
@Ndobo & @Jay Jay, you Lozis have nothing to loose. We don’t need to end up like Zimbabwe.
What UPND overlooked is that if Edgar is impeached, the Lozi queen Inonge will take over. Not HH.
I stopped believing in Lozis, a huge dissapointment from to that Inyambo to Lubinda, so many qualified leaders but cowards or lazy.
But Amos liTalley,
Inputii isuula…
Azadabwa. Zambians can be Judases.
@Nostradamus
Hahaha!!!!! You are my all weather drinking mate, we have finished bottles of tequila together, you know that am not lazy or am I a coward …
Just a point of correction lozis have timing they are not cowardsure you can’t see how my Brother @jayjay comments on lusaka times, he is very brave
Don’t be so confident some PF MPs want him out. Only people eating with him will talk like Amos, Bowman will think in those lines. He has failed and should be kicked out. Independent MPs, Kambwili, Kalaba, do your part. Convince some of the PF members to kick Lungu out. We want him investigated. We can do it. Let Zambia be an example of true democracy. RUSSIA Please Help us on this matter.
Personally, I believe the motion of no confidence in Lungu can go through if the voting were to be carried out by secret ballot. ECL has lost the favour, trust and confidence of many Zambians including many PF members. No President in the history of this country has messed up and demeaned the office of President as ECL has done. and what makes a motion fail in parliament should be its content rather than who brings; this blind or so-called collective loyalty to the party are the reason this country has gone down so much. Folks let’s watch it – we’re sinking!!!!!!!
And the one to second the impeachment is in icu. From there its either back to prison or leopards hill.
UNPD ain’t going no where because they are in a TRAFFIC JAM!!!! From Under 5 to 5 mile per hour. Mid-life Crisis for sure.
God have mercy on their souls!!!
Don’t be big headed KK was impeached by the ZAMBIAN people.
Every Zambian should have a billboard!
Every Zambian should have a billboard, milk and an egg everyday. 17 million billboards erected per day?
It MAY not work but it’s a “wake up call” not only to those in power but to the electorate too that there are provisions to remove an erring President when things become unbearable! EVEN IF the President SURVIVES ,his NATIONAL and INTERNATIONAL STANDING will NOT remain the same!
Waste of time. They cant even call for fresh elections, but what for? They are just a bunch of stup!d alarmists.
Zambiaisours
This dulll lot at State House will be shocked.And have you noticed how they dont even refer to the issues that have brought us here?They are just showing us the arrogance of numbers.Zambians this is 2018 we cant be led by such incompetent people.
Another Failed attempt by UPND. Nobody likes UPND to say the truth. its a tribal party and that’s the biggest problem. They will forever be in opposition.
@Shaka; Be objective. It is not about UPND. It is about the motion. Advance points for or against the motion without being emotional. Can you ever think like that?
PF has the numbers but that should not be what they pride themselves in and use as the reason why the impeachment push by UPND will fail. Instead they should be saying ECL has done nothing to warrant his impeachment. The majority are not always right.
As for UPND to even sink so low as to use the likes of Kambwili to support this motion just goes to portray them as party desperate for the Presidency at all cost.
Zambian political parties are uninspiring to say the least. What a mess!!!
@Czar – arrogant PF spin doctors do not think like you, they are lucky they have an equally poor opposition party with no strategy. To them even if the President with Amos were caught on camera stealing money from BOZ vaults they would point to numbers in Parliament. We need integrity and normality in Zambian Politics from a new generation of leaders.
If the motion was to succeed, it’s the vice-president to take over at least temporarily, and not the UPND. Your blinkered view is astonishing. Merely losing a motion is not enough as a judicial commission would then have to be set up to examine the evidence against ECL. If the judicial commission agrees, then ECl would go for good. If it disagrees, he reassumes the powers of his office and life would continue as before.
Why am I sober and reading this nonsense of Friday evening?
Hahajabababababahhabbbahahha
Because you are a lazy drunkard..this is selfsame reason why we will never develop as country no reading culture!!
The fact that the people who are stealing with you support you doesn’t make you right.
I STOPPED SUPPORTING PF A LONG TIME AGO.UPND DOES NOT IMPRESS ME EITHER.
THE NEXT THING WE WILL SEE IS PF TABLING A MOTION IN PARLIAMENT BARRING HH FOR BEING A PERPETUAL LOOSING CANDIDATE.
UPND IS NOT SMART.THE BEST THING THEY SHOULD HAVE DONE IS TO LEAVE THIS IMPEACHMENT THING AND CONCETRATE ON ELECTORAL REFORMS.
MAY BE UPND KNOWS THAT ONCE THE PF MOTION GOES TO PARLIAMENT,THEY WILL BE DEAD AND BURRIED AND THEY WANT TO CATCH PF UN AWARE.IT WON’T WORK AND I CAN URGE UPND TO WITHDRAW THE MOTION.
UPND MARK MY WORDS,YOU WILL CRY THE LOUDEST VERY SOON ONCE PF TAKES THE PRIVATE MOTION TO PARLY FOR BARRING PERPETUAL PRESIDENTIAL LOOSING CANDIDATES.
Correct. Cow dung brained upnd dont think at all. Pf will also take a useless mortion like like you have put and it will be law even before they walk out. Which schools do they go to? They have messedup indeed
“ONLY A TONGA MUST LEAD UPND says Sejani” This is total madness and the worst kind of desperation by HH and his MPS. How do you surely impeach the president you don’t recognize? Does it meant that UPND just pretend that they don’t recognize lungu as the republican president but deep down their hearts they know Lungu is a legitimately elected president? To them,Zambia has no president but HH. So which president are they trying to impeach? Worse still these tribalists are numerically falling short of the required number to make the impeachment a success. This is all nonsense and time wasting. HH A TICKING TIME BOMB TO ZAMBIA’S PEACE AND SECURITY.
Bla bla bla bla bla……
Kiki all the upnd cretins must be surprised to hear that hh and the entire bunch of cowards in parley do recognize ecl as duly elected president of Zambia. There you have it. Just this motion alone kills your petition for 2016 elections and you must withdraw all court cases relating to petition. Blind supporters were recently ranting that they dont recognize ecl only to be ashamed by their leaders that they actually recognize ecl. No more walking out of parley now. I like this motion by under5s.
Here is where you see the kafwafwas of state house. Amos Chanda is issuing a PF statement. From State house! No! Chanda is not PF spokesman. He is a civil servant who serves the office of the president. He can’t talk about political issues because the president’s office looks after everyone including the opposition. Here is someone we taxpayers are paying for doing the wrong job
I am also dumbfounded how a civil servant should be issuing political statement so openly and f00lishly! I think Zambia is finished! Time to adopt a second home and forget this failed state!
The annoying thing with your observation is that this is as a result purely of arrogance.Assuming these people are so dull they have failed to make the distinction between the party and the government,how many times have people complained against this abuse of office by Amos?They have chosen to look the other way.He should be punished when his time is up.The buggers are committing offences on a daily basis and with impunity.
The statement from State House is not as smart as expected. Its like saying that even if you drag me to court your action will fail because I’m in good books with the judges. I would rather hear Amos confine himself to the demerits of the grounds of the motion
THATS WHAT I THINK AS WELL; DEAL WITH THE MOTION ITSELF RATHER THAN THE COMFORT OF NUMBERS. ITS REALLY DEMEANING FOR PF AND THE PRESIDENCY.
PLEASE SAY WHATS WRONG WITH MOTION BASED ON LAW AND POLITICAL ETIQUETTE BA AMOS CHANDA.
IF THIS IS NOT IMMEDIATELY DONE THE DAMAGE MAY BE TOO HUGE POLITICALLY EVEN IF THE MOTION FAILS ON ACCOUNT OF INADEQUACY OF MERELY NUMBERS
So kambwili no share kuli parchment ya under 5?ICU kaili or don’t cry when PF moves a certain obvious motion.a warning! Guys just resign all the 58 of you.seems yo contribution to democracy is dead
There are 58 UPNDEAD MP pentitioners but about 10 did not even sign the petition so they are already short..
Lungu has been a muslin since the age of 14, got into power and suddenly decided to convert to christianity. It is about time, being ruled by muslims.
This impeachment idiocy of HH will go nowhere as it has no little ground apart from jealousy, bitterness frustration, smear campaigns and all kinds of evil. We patriotic Zambians love Edgar Chagwa Lungu very dearly. Come 2021, HH will be the 10 times election looser and crying like hyiiiii yhiiii hyiiiii, banibela maboti yangu mebo!
….kwekwekwekwe….wandi paya kuno mebo….kwekwekwekwe…
Impeachment will jeopardise the dialogue process? Come on Mr President, we the people think dialogue is a waste of time anyway. Tell h.h to go dialogue with a brick wall, sha!!
The point some of you are missing is that EL is being subjected to a motion to impeach him. Much like Zuma being subjected to a no confidence vote in SA. Even though they did not succeed, they remain on his record. The same will be true of Lungu. This will remain on his record. And it alsout makes coming by elections interesting. What will happen when opposition get majority in Parliament?
There is aready gross incompetence, recklessness, shambolic leadership and corruption on his record.
And let Jay Jay go .jump in Sioma falls, sha!!
Oh, and #16 too, sha!!
Malabishi yeka yeka ati ndale!!
Sometimes God surprises people to deal with their pride. Beware Amos. You are not God.
Impeachment, possible or impossible is still a democratic right to set it motion. Must they withdraw it because of the supposed numbers in support of the thug? South Africans attempted 9 times to get rid Zuma. Who knows how it will turn out? lungu might just get the shock of his life. He has no idea the number of people he has hurt badly who may jump at this opportunity to hit back.
Dont forget the PF members who are annoyed that he has auctioned the party to RB and MMD,bazadabwa aba,people have said over and over again that Lungu shoiuld not surround himself with the likes of Amos,Kaizer and other clearly incompetent people.And have you noticed that you hardly hear Kaiser talk?
It makes perfect sense for HH to keep his MPs busy with such futile exercises in parliament so that they have no time to review the party’s losing spree. All in all, HH has managed to keep a tight grip on his party a position not different from dictatorship. Unless ECL messes up HH is in for another rude shock.
Why do you support a crook who has made our lives miserable? This foreigner?
Lusaka Times, why don’t write it as it was said and include Amos statement about masons. That was very childish if you ask me
Stupid comments…
The invisibility of President Lungu has been broken. Whether the impeachment succeeds or not, its framing by the UPND is a game changer in terms of providing checks and holding President Lungu accountable. As 2021 approaches the numbers PF holds will be the President’s weakness as MPs assess which Party will guarantee their next term. By that time constitutional breaches highlighted will be fine tuned into corruption charges eligible for removal of immunity and subsequent prosecution. This strategy by UPND is good for mobilizing the masses and building alliances across party lines and will make President Lungu vulnerable as he fights for survival. Watch the space
PF IS CLEARLY LACKING POLITICAL STRATEGY TO REPEL AND OUTWIT THE UPND; THE GAME HERE IS DIVIDE AND RULE – IT MAY WORK FOR THE UPND IF PF IS STILL GASPING IN NUMBERS. THIS IS REAL CHALLENGE ON POWER. PF NEEDS REAL MEN NOT CHILD’S PLAY HERETO
The time for all leaders to be transparent and accountable has dawned.
Peru’s President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski announced that he had submitted his resignation to Congress on Wednesday, following vote-buying allegations ensnared his center-right government in a fresh scandal on the eve of an impeachment vote.
Kuczynski had resisted resigning since December, when the opposition party Popular Force – led by his defeated campaign rival Keiki Fujimori – revealed his financial connections to a company at the center of a massive graft scandal.
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Continued
President Ameenah Gurib-Fakim has been accused of spending tens of thousands of dollars of public money on personal purchases.
According to reports in L’express newspaper, these include payments to a dressmaker in Italy, duty-free purchases in Dubai and a platinum credit card offered by the Planet Earth Institute, a foundation belonging to controversial Angolan billionaire Alvaro Sobrinho.
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Vote-buying allegations – A video in which United Party for National Development(UPND) Kalulushi Candidate Evaristo Mwalilino’s driver is revealing how Hakainde Hichilema and Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba’s Kalulushi Constituency votes where concealed has gone viral after it was aired on Prime TV.
In the video, Wanna Chiyanga is confessing that his boss Mwalilino was given K21000, K360 000 for 21,966 votes and dropping the election petition respectively.
He disclosed THAT President Rupiah Banda, Information Minister Kapamba Mulenga and axed PF Deputy Chairperson for Elections Kelvin Fube Bwalya(KBF) and Mwalilino were heavily involved in the scheme of things.
But this issue is not for Amos Chanda to be explaining to us what is going to happen, this is proper ignorance. It is a legislative thing, he is not a sangoma to start predicting what is going to happen. Can somebody tell this guy to sit down, he is doing work he is not even supposed to be doing
Don’t doubt UPND, things might turn sour to PF, not everyone is happy with koswe, ingonge can be a good leader to finish the term for koswe.how many times did Zuma go through such voting?
Upnd wl just provoke pf to table a motion to bar pepetual loosers from contesting any later elections,which is likely to go thru as pf has more numbers in parley.this can disadvantage hh,and jeopardise the dialogue process.
Just seeing this guy nauseates me .He is full of himself and thinks they will continue stealing and abusing the rule of law forever. There is a saying, ‘ politics always ends up in failure’ . Who knew that at some point UNIP under the brutal dictator Kaunda would be kick out . The PF under born Idle and Lazy Lungu is dying
Sangoma Amos Chanda giving answers to questions he has not been asked.
In Parliament what ever some one of my party says, I will agree yayayayaya. Just because he/she belongs to the party I support.
If it were possible, this is where i would want the MPs to go back to their constituencies and ask their electorate for their opinion on the impeachment motion in parliament. Now, for argument’s sake, if the electorate decided that their MPs should vote in favour of the impeachment, would our honourable MPs vote according to the wishes of their electorates? A thought tells me that with the calibre of MPs we have, I think I they can vote with their tummies. Just thinking.
It’s not for state house to educate us wether impeachment is possible or not. We are well versed and able to discern on our own. Secretary to cabinet, can you orient this guy at state house whose trying to educate people on issues beyond his jurisdiction. Ndiye overzealousness iyi
Amos Shanda is not himself. He has diarrhoea. Understand him. They are all sick. No wonder God made Lungu produce his tissues. Tell Amos to use the Lungu tissue. Lungu messed it up when he produced tissues with his portrait to be used and thrown into the toilet. This is prophetic. Lungu has destined himself to the sewer. Now God want it to come to pass. The impeachment will bruise Lungu whether he likes it or not. We need a different pf member to finish Lungu’s term. There is nothing to panic ba pf. Let Lungu go. And pf will have rebranded itself. Whatever happens God will use another way to remove Lungu. Lungu’s crimes will always haunt him. He will have no peace as long as he does not allow justice to clear him. Having the impeachment motion in parliament is victory for all suffering…
Everybody knows that the removal of Lungu is not the removal of pf. But Lungu must go the sewer way. He has mislead the nation and has failed. It is Lungu that should go. There is nothing to worry ba pf. We like you. Help us have hope under a diffrent leader .
Which President are UPND MPs going to impeach who do not exist.Have they now accepted that ECL is the President of Zambia.Why cant they first acknowledge that ECL is President and proceed with whatever they want to do as an academic exercise.
They can not impeach some who doesnt exist. As far as UPND is Concerned Zambia has no President and the oney are impeaching someone else and not President..Ekufulungana uku mumfwa mwebantu.
First ask them who are they impeaching Position and then Name?…………………
I meant to say: and the one they are impeaching is just someone else not President.