The opposition Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) has formally filed a petition in the Constitutional Court against the suspension of campaigns in Lusaka and Namwala Districts by the Electoral Commission of Zambia.
The FDD has sued the ECZ as the first respondent and Attorney General Likando Kalaluka as the second respondent.
Party Spokesperson Antonio Mwanza says his party has opted to seek redress in this manner because it finds the decision by the ECZ to suspend the campaigns in the two Districts to be unlawful.
Mr. Mwanza has told Qfm News that the FDD has based its petition on the understanding that the ECZ does not have powers to stop campaigns for political parties.
He said the party also finds the reasons the ECZ has given to suspend the campaigns to be unreasonable.
Mr. Mwanza said that the Electoral Process Act is very clear when it says the commission can only penalize political parties that are found to be engaging in violence.
He said it does not therefore follow that the suspension of campaigns in Lusaka and Namwala was extended to even innocent and non violent political parties such as the FDD.
The application appears legally sound and fair. Why punish all political parties instead of punishing the culprits?Here is a President giving directives to IG of Police to cancel the UPND Rally at short notice and deal ruthlessly with UPND supporters. The IG obeyed Lungu’s directive and shot and killed UPND supporters. Surely ZRP should be cited as a third Respondent in this case. Given that Concourt appears compromised the judgment in this case though urgent will be reserved as usual until after the elections. Dont forget that Concourt is still sitting on the judgment regarding Lungu keeping his Ministers in their posts illegally after Parliament was dissolved. Anyway lets see how Concourt deals with these cases. Well done FDD.
FDD worst too much time on petty ideas. Calling on courts in Zambia is same as calling for prayers. The prayers for elections never get answered.
FDD should go DIPLOMATS!!!
Mean while we are only remaining with 4 days , before we DUNUNA FORWARD IN LSK.No Kutina it will OPERATION ANACONDA2016.We shall open the water melon for all to it.lol lol
They have got too much time on their fingers.
Ba underfive be.ngi? Waste of time, by the time this matter is even heard campaigns would have resumed. Also in Namwala by law FDD was party to the violence until the courts decide otherwise. Why don’t you use the time to campaign for president Nawakwi in other parts of the country?
SINKAMBA WISDOM – Zambia now is an animal farm. Some animals are more equal than others. PF thugs have taken Zambians for a ride. But pf thugs must remember that their days are numbered, all days are not Sundays.
We seek the blood of Jesus Christ to protect all the people of Zambia from pf thugs. One day ECL is going to account for his deeds.
IN AS MUCH AS YOU GUYS HAVE THE RIGHT TO EXERCISE YOUR RIGHTS, I FEEL THIS MOVE WILL JUST CHEW THE LITTLE TIME LEFT FOR U TO CAMPAIGN. ZAMBIA IS NOT LUSAKA & NAMWALA, PLS GO CAMPAIGN IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY. ALREADY U GUYS LACK STRUCTURES & THE MORE TIME U WASTE, THE LESS USEFUL U MAYBE DURING A RE-RUN
Good luck FDD, I hope you get answers from the compromised and toothless constitutional court.
Political development means reformation. I am proud of Zambia allowing all forms of judicial processes to landmark the history of our development. Some countries cannot say anything about the political reformation Zambia is having. We take serious one person being killed as a result of political disturbance like countries ahead in the political process showing how our processes are and will be an example to the rest. Appreciate whatever the motive that these guys are marking milestones by which our country will look back and map the way forward.
Political time wasters. By the time he is heard elections would have been won and lost. Very dull chap. He feeds on Nawakwi pigs maybe
VIVA HH 2016
Imwe sure, motorcade ya David Cameron when he was still prime minister, one car.Here there are 21vehicles pa presidential motorcade , and here there is no threat. Ku winanama, poor country. No one sees nothing wrong aluta continua.chani baba!
I have said by the time the court attends to this issue, the ten days will have elapsed. Do you then expect the Court to compel the toothless ECZ to allow you ten more campaign days after the elections? What remedy are you seeking?
Why not wait for the suspension to be lifted?Too much drama in the shadow of Zambia.Not a smart move from this selfsame party considering that they need all the money for campaigns to other areas
I thank you very much
For those that do not see the importance of this, allow me to educate you. Whether this is heard before or after the elections. It sets an important precedence for the future. It is freedom that we can all enjoy. Even you as a private citizen can sue ECZ and the attorney general.
The FDD is right. They are doing it for academic purposes only. Once the concourt rules in their favour, which they will, it will just be a precedence which will be used in later elections including the second round or run off. Regardless of how much violence, the show will go on.
On the other hand, FDD and UPP have no support. They think they can win the elections by default when PF/UPND are disqualified. But that would bring out unimaginable violence that the election would be cancelled altogether and PF wins, like Edgar has been wanting to avoid this election.
ICHIPIMO UPIMINAKO ABANOBE ECHIPIMO UKAPOKELELA PA 11 AUGUST ECL NA PF YOBE. THE GOODNESS OF ZAMBIANS IS THAT THEY HAVE STOPPED PUTTING ON PF LIGALIA ONLY THE PF STOOGES ARE PUTING THEM ON. THIS TIME WHEN ONE IS CALLED IMWE BA PF, THEY ARE BECOMING ANGRY BECAUSE THEY HAVE REALIZED THAT WHEN YOU ARE CALLED BY THAT NAME IS LIKE YOU ARE A MURDERER.
Apart from establishing a procedure and setting a precedence is there anything good coming out of the PF Concourt? This Court was packed by Judges sympathetic to Lungu who appointed them for a purpose. These judges take instructions from State House that is why they reserved judgment forever or until after elections on Lungu’s illegal Ministers. Nothing much can be expected from this compromised Concourt which seeks to save the interests of the Executive rather than public interest. Good luck Mr Mwanza.
Shocker that so many people can’t actually see the purpose and importance of this court case. As someone mentioned these FDD guys are trying to buy us the freedom we will all benefit from and enjoy in the future. Zambia will have many more elections after this election. So it doesn’t matter whether the judgement will be delivered after the elections. We should all be supporting progressive ideas like this as the ‘neutrals’ who are supposed to be the enlightened cream of the country. Don’t ever allow anyone violate the constitution at will, rather challenge them even if there are no immediate rewards. The people who fought for our freedoms never got to enjoy them but we as a generation are benefiting from their sacrifices.
Ignorance is such a serious disease, some of us who are so called friends of the court know what we arte talking about, there are so many precedents that have been ignored by our compromised courts, that is why we are saying this is a sheer waste of time. You need people in such offices who will respect the rule of law and not the rule of man.