Former President Edgar Lungu has lost a legal bid to have three Constitutional Court judges recuse themselves from hearing a petition that challenges his eligibility to run in the 2021 General Election and any future elections.
Mr. Lungu had filed a Notice of Motion seeking the removal of Constitutional Court President Margaret Munalula, Deputy Arnold Shilimi, and Judge Mapani Kawimbe from the case, citing concerns of bias. He argued that Justice Munalula had previously delivered dissenting judgments favoring current President Hakainde Hichilema, and further referenced her past involvement with the Judicial Complaints Commission. Mr. Lungu also raised concerns about alleged professional and familial connections between Judges Shilimi, Kawimbe, and President Hichilema.
The motion stems from a petition by youth activist Michelo Chizombe, who is calling on the court to rule on Mr. Lungu’s eligibility to contest both the 2021 election and future presidential races.
It’s now a slippery slope from here. So, it’s about time ECL found something else to do; “alebwelelapo” is but a pipe dream now!
The same judges who have refused to go are now pissed off with him and his lawyers and are going to hear the main matter. Hence, second dismissal loading…!
I thought they already ruled in his favor in 2021?
You should worry as citizens you democracy has crumbled.The dictator will run the country like his farm
It is lungu who wants to treat the laws of zambia like his play book……..
He should be more concerned about clearing his name of corruption that trying to hold office for the 3rd or is it 4th time……..
@Angoni…democracy is an illusion because it doesn’t exist anywhere on the planet including the USA where Biden has been dethroned and Harris has been installed! Wake up!
Hope you people actually read the ruling than approach things from your narrow partisan interest. Read first please . His asking those that had a different opinion to his to excuse themselves is a good reason, what will stop the other side also to petition their removal? He claims to have been a top lawyer, but the reasoning has always been wrong. He mislead people on ministers staying, grade 12 and cyber law….no, democracy is being restored following what is supposed to be not thuggish way.
The truth hurts some on here
I would rather they concentrated on fixing the economy and the energy crisis than fixing an individual
How do you expect the judiciary to fix the economy and energy crisis? Ever heard of speciaized departments ogf government?
@ Angoni
You should worry as citizens your democracy has crumbled. The dictator will run the country like his farm
Nothing has crumbled here all is fine, if you are sincere, you should have pointed out this democracy thing in 2016 when the other camp was denied an opportunity to be heard, let have a feel of it, no more alebwelapo zero, just to them to go back to chawama. In fact, it’s your people who tried to destroy democracy from 2016 to 2021 until we Zambians we had to intervene on 12th August 2021 to remove your dictators and now they cannot even believe it that they are no longer in power. Did you know that in the morning we had tea plus bread and jam now we are waiting for lunch with nshima and chicken.
Also please explain what is fine ??
When corruption has more than doubled
Zesco has nearly brought the country to its knees
which some have yet to realise..
lungu a dictator ?? Dumb Yes Yes
Usually the dumb ones are dictators. They wont understand your arguments for democracy. When you say power to the people they think you mean the people (with their power) will knock them out like a boxer in the ring.
Kantobo is better than kachasu
While we are here, is Lungu still receiving his pension money as a supposedly ‘retired’ former president? He is in active politics and he deserves no coin of tax payers money. This self-serving corrupt dude should just go away… the fact he thinks he was actually good as a president just shows how dillusional and out of touch with reality he really is. This man took our nation almost 50 years back in all aspects of life: democracy, economy, education, social, etc.
Well said…….
In my opinion, the worst president zambia has ever , and hopefully will ever have was lungu………
Our worst time was when Lungu watched on as more than 50 people were lynched and burned on our streets , hoping the crowds will turn on UPND……
Only when he was warned by forigne diplomats did he call I’m the army to restore order….by then more than 50 innocent civilians had been murdered
Actually, generally speaking a retiree can continue receiving his pension while he has another job. This happens in many a profession.
@Chawama Voter… the Presidential pension has special constitutional condition in that says the recipient shall not be in active politics. Unless it has changed over the years but this clause was actually used in the past to deny a former president access to their pension entitlements – can’t recall if it was KK or FTJ? Politicians in Zambia don’t follow the regular civil service retirement regulations like age.
Give a fool enough rope and he will surely hang himself.
Proverbs 23:9
Don’t waste your breath on fools, for they will despise the wisest advice.
I have just lost one minute of my life reading this!
Somehow I feel good when things do not work well for Lungu. After MCS passed on PF was expected to vote by ballot in finding a successor. But ECL was voted for by people raising their hands and most of them were not part of electoral college. He then decided to wake up one judge at night so that he could sign his papers declaring him elected PF President. In 2021 he forced himself on the ballot when he was not supposed to be there. I am now telling him that Zambia is now returning to normality. Days of PF animal farm are over.
Lungu kumushi, Zambia kuchalo. We are past thuggery and corruption, time for Zambia to heal and grow to it’s might.
Iwe! nakumushi tatulemufwaya!!
Ba satana imwe, whether ECL will be barred to stand for elections or not, salvation is coming & this chunsu fiko mumbwa mumbwa appearance HH like it or not. Just look at his countenance, he does not have it. This was the biggest mistake my home country pipo did in Africa by voting this backward ingombe so-called richest man in hell !!!!
Badala…….
It is a 5 year mandate……..
Just contribute positively to the development of zambia until 2026, than……….
Even the hard-core PF tribal Dejavu has realised this………
You can unleash your profanity and tribalism to try and sway the clique……
For now HH ain’t going nowhere
Forwadee 2031……..
Tribal Bigot!
Wena Jameson Lungu utlokomele, HH utakunyisa wena! All these judges were appointed by no other than you and all of a sudden just because these three ruled against you then they are biased! Uzisunge iwe ka!
I hope the same judges will not accept to hear the same matter for 5th time. And if by any chance they decide to throw his case a negative reaction is expected from some people
REMEMBER HE THREATENED THEM WHILE HE WAS IN SOLWEZI CONCERNING HOW THEY MUST RULE. HOW FREE WERE THOSE JUDGES? LUNGU HAD HIS FA\VOURITES AMONG THE JUDGES. INFACT, HE CHOSE JUDGES WHO DID NOT QUALIFY SO AS TO MANIPULATE THEM. THOSE WITH SHORT MEMORIES SHOULD REFLESH ON LUNGU’S CADRES HE SENT TO CAMP AT THE HIGH COURT. WHICH PRESIDENT RULED LIKE LUNGU DID? MAY BE IDI AMIN THAT ONE IS HIS COMPATRIATE.