FORMER Patriotic Front (PF) Kabushi lawmaker Bowman Lusambo and Former Kwacha lawmaker Joseph Malanji have both their petitions dismissed in the Ndola and Kitwe High Court .
The duo petitioned the elections of their rivals United Party for National Development (UPND) Bernard Kanengo in Kabushi and UPND’s Charles Mulenga in Kwacha stating that they should be declared null and void as they were illegal.
However, their petitions have both been dismissed as they have been deemed to lack merit by the Ndola and Kitwe High Court respectively.
In Ndola, Lusambo petitioned Kanengo, the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) and the Attorney General seeking that the court declare the election of Kanengo as null and void.
In his submission in trial, Lusambo stated that the election had low voter turn out because his face was not on the ballot papers.
He claimed that ECZ misconducted itself by barrying him from contesting, which made it a non-democratic election and further stated that the move by ECZ tantamounts to contempt of court.
“The election was illegal and therefore this court should declare it as null and void,” he said.
High Court judge Ruth Chibbabbuka in passing judgement and dismissing the case said that all the allegations against Kanengo could not be substantiated.
“Thus, this allegation cannot be the basis upon which the election can be nullified or voided. Having found as I have, that all the allegations have failed and cannot be substantiated, in accordance with Article 97 (2) (b) of the Electoral Process Act, this petition is hereby dismissed for lack of merit. As this matter is one of public interest each party will bear their own costs for this petition,” she said.
Meanwhile, in Kitwe Malanji who equally petitioned the current Kwacha lawmaker Mulenga and ECZ also had his case dismissed.
Judge Conceptor Zulu who was sitting in the Kitwe High Court dismissed Malanji’s petition because some of the grounds of the petition had no merit.
She said there was no evidence that the petitioner was prevented from filing his nomination and therefore there was no merit in the petition.
“I have come to the conclusion that there was no merit that the ECZ did not comply with the stay that was made by the court,”she said
Chi HH called the courts and directed them to make this smelly decision. Fuseke
Ba Kaisa muzakafa na BP. Just accept that PF is gone, and there’s nothing anybody can do to change the fortunes. You can insult the President all day. Fact still remains you lost
Fuseke you chi upnd cadre. Continue living in denial. People are fed up with your hh. All his lies are now in the open. We have had no electricity here and yet I live in a high class locality. Upnd won’t win next election. Kaleza pali chi mayee chako choyipa
Iwe chi gunyu above, ise tenzo nyenga bakazi 5 at the same time as a youth. Our hearts are strong. BP can’t kill me
Give proper advice to your fellow members
Really laughable …these two foooools were warned about contesting, I am sure their lawyers are laughing all the way to the bank!!
It is a disgrace that some alcohol addicted called Kaiza Zulu was once political advisor to a President called Lungu. Also an alcoholistische from Chawama. State was turned into a tavern.
I hope you dont mean our local UK based LT Resident Impostor but the real one in Lusaka quietly enjoying his drink.
You see everyone Deja Vu has decided to remain quiet on this one…these are his former area MPs!!
Zambians will have the final say in these matters. Soon the Zambian Judiciary will be like the Zambian Traffic Police as no one will take it seriously. How do you think they declared ECL eligible?
The PF rich men can now go ahead and sue in the con court, since they have a lot of money to pay lawyers
The PF rich men can now sue in the con court since they have a lot of money to pay lawyers