In a recent statement, former President Edgar Lungu addressed the events following the dissolution of Parliament in 2016, when all cabinet and deputy ministers remained in office due to ambiguities in the new law. This decision was met with heavy criticism and eventually led to a legal battle, resulting in a landmark judgment by the Constitutional Court in December 2016. The court ruled that the ministers’ stay was illegal and mandated the repayment of all accrued salaries and allowances.
President Lungu emphasized that this judgment serves as a testament to the judiciary’s independence during his administration. “We never interfered with the judiciary but simply respected them as a separate wing of government in a functional democracy,” Lungu stated. He reiterated his directive from December 8, 2016, urging former cabinet and deputy ministers to comply with the court’s ruling and repay the allowances and salaries.
“Following the Constitutional Court’s decision, I expect Cabinet Ministers and Deputy Ministers who remained in Office after Parliament was dissolved in 2016 to pay back salaries and allowances. Decisions of the courts of law must be respected regardless of positions taken by different parties, hence my position that the affected individuals must pay. We must all respect the law because no one is above the law. Therefore, the ruling of the Constitutional Court must be complied with. My administration will always uphold the Separation of Powers in respect of the Executive, the Judiciary, and the Legislature,” Lungu stated on his Facebook page and other official documents.
Lungu challenged any assertions from Chief Government Spokesperson or President Hakainde Hichilema that might dispute his commitment to the principles of Separation of Powers and the rule of law. He stressed his dedication to political honesty and factual respect in his engagements, reflecting on his upbringing and tenure as President.
ECL
Ndikuganiza kuti ndine munthu wosimidwa. Ndikupusitsidwa ndi membala wamkulu wa PF. Ndiyenera kusangalala ndi kupuma kwanga.
Edgar Lungu please you had your time just move on and find other things to do….we are busy mobilizing trying to find our own Ibrahim Traore…we are tired with this demagogue President HH and very soon he will be shown the door….
We need youths as conscientised and active as Kenyans
It’s very annoying to listen to you talk in this manner. I advise you to shut up. You weren’t even supposed to be on the ballot in 2021 but you know what you did with those styopet judges. Let me leave it there. The fact that Hichilema hasn’t arrested you doesn’t mean that you’re clean. We just don’t want to continue the tradition of arresting former leaders as Zambians aren’t interested. Don’t push him
Personally I am just wondering who will be the highest bidder in this case
He has his audience he speaks to to remain relevant in their eyes! He does not speak to those who rejected him
Very bold statement coming from Lungu. Firstly, changing the law to your own preference is not necessarily respecting the rule of law. Lungu was quite lawless and very conniving. But the root of all this boldness from Edgar Lungu is the UPND’s inability to resolve the economic situation in Zambia. But Zambia’s problem comes from the fact that opposition parties feel the need to have a coalition, I would like to hear someone from the opposition call Lungu for what he was, a thief and a thug, then maybe they can have enough validity to do the same with HH.
Lungu was a lawless president in the history of Zambia. Allowing carders stealing from government institutions like bus stops and overpriced tenders to steal government money. He never told his supporters to stop beating Zambians. Tribalism was the order of the day. Retiring civil servants from Southern, western, Northwest, and central provinces. His family become rich overnight and they can’t account for their wealth.
it was respecting the constitution to allow PF cadres to collect levies and revenue from bus depots and local government markets. it was following rule of law to Jay Jay Banda to kidnap and urinate into a journalist’s mouth. it was law and order to allow the likes of Kaizer Zulu to terrorize Zambians deemed as opposition agents at will. it was out of respect the Post Newspaper and other media houses to close down whenever they wrote anything that seemed distasteful to PF. I don’t think critical and reasonable Zambians have already forgotten the terror PF employed while you were in control… it’s either you PF machinery got your blessings, or you are incapable of enforcing rule of law
I do not understand why some stupid individuals are asking the current Head of State to work together with ECL. What good things can ECL do when he has not even repented and apologised for his misrule. Maybe we should just go back to boundaries of 1911 so that ECL rules in his strongholds.
I think from the point of view you can note that there are mental problems with Lungu. None of the Zambias presidents ever acted like Lungu in his tenature. Chiefs and pastors help him to be a true man in society not wolf in sheep skin.
I think it is a case of “If Trump can show interest in bouncing back, who am I not to?” Wrong move indeed. The losers will be PF for even entertaining such an idea. They should have advised and let our former Head of State retire peacefully. By now he would have healed and moved on.
ECL please please do not try to meet Hakainde. The man belongs to a very dangerous grouping.And this group has no interest of the Zambians neither does it have the interest of Africans. Many progressive African leaders have been killed. All in the interest of impoverishing the African continent. Hakainde is just a pon in the game. Be careful to meet him as he seems to suggest now. He does not mean well. In fact he knows that he has long lost popularity. Hakainde is just waiting for his term to finish.
Not even Sishuwa Sishuwa would agree.
I honestly believe Lungu has a mental illness…someone needs to show him all the violent videos of his cadres whom he instructed to kill,maim innocent citizens.
Where is that video of his cadres dressed as police invading HH’s & tear-gassed his whole family?
The UPND media team is sleeping…they should be buying airtime on TV stations to air all those
Whatever he means by that — the truth of the matter is that he allowed his goons to ride rough-shod on the citizenry. That part of cadres is something I am not comfortable in imagining a return of PF to government. Yes, we do want to sweep these guys off the slate BUT we do not need to go back to PF. Not a chance…
You respected the rule of law that’s why you allowed ministers to stay in office unconstitutional getting free money and allowances.
Just ignore this yapping dog Lungu. Why even report his drivelling idiocy?
Sir, the conduct of your many advisors, the cadres, those ill qualified people you compelled us to call ‘honorable’..those sorry persons who lied to you…never mind the sudden upsurge in cash that your people had the burning of hard currency…sir! take a chill pill! But sir it is your constitutional right to not only campaign, but also put your name on the ballot as UKwa lead… then it is our right to cast the vote….
Buhata bwahao lihakabe tuwe ni ng’amba tuna yahao yeo!
Africa is all about the blind leading the blinds.