Enough is Enough, Mr. Lungu – Stop the Distortion and Respect the Constitution

Enough is Enough, Mr. Lungu – Stop the Distortion and Respect the Constitution

By Lawrence Mukandile. (Political Consultant)

Dr. Edgar Lungu, Zambia’s immediate past President, has once again taken to Facebook to repeat his misleading claim that he willingly and freely handed over power. This is not only inaccurate but an insult to the intelligence of Zambians. Let’s set the record straight once and for all: you did not hand over power as an act of charity , you lost the election, and the Constitution dictated that you step down.

It is baffling that a former Head of State, a trained lawyer no less, continuously disregards the Constitution of Zambia, which explicitly outlines the process of presidential elections, disputes, and power transitions.

Under the Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) Act No. 2 of 2016, the legal framework for elections and petitions in the event of disputed presidential results is as follows:

Election of the President

• Article 101(2): A presidential candidate must receive more than 50% of the valid votes cast to be declared the winner.
• Article 101(3): If no candidate achieves this threshold, a second round of voting is held between the top two candidates.

Challenging Election Results

• Article 103(1): A person may petition the Constitutional Court if they believe the presidential election was not conducted in accordance with the law.
• Article 103(2): The petition must be filed within seven days after the declaration of results.
• Article 103(3): The Constitutional Court must hear and determine the petition within fourteen days, after which its decision is final.

Transfer of Power

• Article 104(1): The incumbent President remains in office until the President-elect is sworn in.
• Article 104(3): If an election is petitioned, the Speaker of the National Assembly assumes executive functions until the matter is resolved.
• Article 105: Once all legal processes are exhausted, the new President is sworn in and assumes full powers.

These provisions make it crystal clear that power is not transferred based on personal choice but through legal and constitutional processes.

Your repeated claims of voluntarily handing over power are deliberate attempts to distort history and incite your followers. What exactly are you trying to achieve? Should Zambians believe that their democracy depends on the goodwill of one man? No, democracy stands because laws exist, institutions function, and the people have the final say at the ballot box.

Had you won, Mr. Lungu, you would still be in office today, bragging about how the people had spoken. But because you lost, you now act as if stepping down was a favor to the nation. That is not how democracy works. If you truly believed the election was flawed, why didn’t you file a petition? The Constitutional Court was there, the process was clear, yet you walked away not because you wanted to but because you had no choice.

Zambians deserve commendation for their restraint and maturity. In other nations, former leaders who tamper with political stability by making reckless statements are met with public outrage. But the people of Zambia have chosen peace over protest, unity over division. Instead of exploiting that goodwill, you should honor it.

Even the law enforcement agencies deserve recognition for not acting against your provocative and misleading rhetoric. But don’t mistake silence for weakness. Should you continue pushing this narrative, it won’t be long before both the people and the law take notice.

Mr. Lungu, history will remember you for what you do now, not just what you did before. You still have the chance to be a statesman to contribute meaningfully to national dialogue without spreading misleading claims. But if you continue on this path, your legacy will not be one of a father of the nation, but of a power-hungry politician who could not let go.

For once, let truth guide your words. Stop this distortion and respect the Constitution.