UPND President Hakainde Hichilema and his running mate Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba made an impassionate appeal to the full bench of the constitutional court forcing the court to adjourn the hearing to Monday.
This was after a day full drama and suspense that saw Mr Hichilema and Mr Mwamba’s lawyers’s abandon them midway through the proceedings.
Mr Hichilema and Mr Mwamba later took the stand and addressed the court separately arguing that their rights have been abrogated after the courts refused to allow an extension of the 14-day time limit.
The two pleaded to the courts to allow them to hire new lawyers to represent them.
Constitutional Court President Hildah Chibomba ruled just before midnight that since the petition had not been heard due to the events of the day, the petitioners will need to find lawyers and commence trial on Monday.
The Court further ordered that each party will have two days to be heard.
Earlier, the Constitutional court had thrown out all preliminary applications by the petitioners including the application by the Law Association of Zambia for a joinder as a friend of the court.
The Court has also thrown out an application by lawyers for Hakainde Hichilema intended to amend their skeleton main application.
The lawyers led by John Sangwa of Simeza Sangwa & Associates sought permission to leave the Court as he claimed there was no time to present the election petition.
Mr Sangwa was followed up by Jack Mwiimbu, Lillian Mukosha, Muleza, Nellie Mutti and Martha Mushipe who also stormed out of court leaving Mr Hichilema and Mr Mwamba in court.
Patriotic Front Lawyer Bonaventure Mutale S.C had argued that it is impossible to extend time as per request made by Mr Hichilema beyond 24 Hours to engage other lawyers and the act will be against the Constitution.
But in his moving submission, Mr Hichilema almost caused laughter when he said the UPND does not need sympathy but a fair hearing from the Concourt.
“The court has denied us justice on the basis of a decision made yesterday by one single judge Anne Sitali which we believe was ill intended to deny us justice. We cannot represent ourselves in two hours for such a matter of great magnitude. Legal representation is our constitutional right,” Mr Hichilema said.
He added, “It is not in question that we need…a fair hearing. We cannot be an exception to the rules of natural justice. To be given a fair hearing. It’s not a matter of whether one needs justice or not…it’s a matter of obligation.”
“The delay to hear one of our petitions, to have the President vacate office in accordance with article 104 (3) cannot be over looked. We also wish to submit that this court lives to our expectations in delivering justice,” Mr Hichilema told the court.
And Mr Mwamba stated that the bench has no powers to declare Edgar Lungu winner of the disputed elections.
“It’s very important that the court is mindful of what the 15million Zambians are expecting. We came here expecting that we shall be heard and not in two Hours. It’s our constitutional right for this Honourable court to hear our petition. But if the court decides not to hear one side of the party, it will be unfair to many Zambians who to hear both sides,” he said.
“I have been in this court from morning to hear this matter. It’s clear that a single Judge who handled this matter misled the court because of backtracking on her initial position.”
He added, “We don’t believe that we have to be given enough time for us to prepare witnesses in a shortest possible time so that our witnesses can be given a fair hearing. Am obliged my Lord.”
And there was jubilation among UPND supporters outside the Supreme Court after the court proceedings adjourned just after midnight with some saying what transpired in inside court is a sign that God was on their side.
Lawyers abandoned HH and GBM midway through the proceedings? Looks as if bambi bola naikosa! This sounds like the death of Mazyoka’s dream. MHSRIP
Forget ba hh and your GBM. The case is over, it’s pf again. Lawyers running away from them it’s sign that these under 5 politicians have no case to present before the court. Ifintu ni lungu. GBM take over the leadership of upnd. Congrats to GBM
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HH and GBM, they have the hearts of Lions! You can say what you like about these Guys, but you cant take away the fact that they are fighters and by sheer tenacity and a tactical withdrawal of Legal Representation they have the forced the Constitutional Court to extend the hearing! Well Done!! ITS NOT OVER YET !!
Technical withdraw iwe, you can’t see the turn of events. Intelligence and brains are important.
God is with HH & GBM , I simply like these 2 rich guys, fighting for democracy for us. So patriotic, rear Zambians. Last time I read some fighter was Kapwepwe.
HH has saved this court from its own stoopidity. It looks like judges did not even have time to read their own prepared verdict. What a bunch of monkeys!
Do Judges have the right to chane the law? 14 days is 14 days. I would love to see the statue that empower judges to make such a move. Earlier in the week they had just ruled on what constitute 14 days. So how come the turn of events, one needs to be very careful here. That said, let justice prevail.
The ConCourt has failed the smart people of the Zambian Enterprise … it is time to declare as State of Emergency and proceed with the inauguration of ECL on Tuesday next week. The Petitioners’ lawyers ran away from their own case.
LAZ failed to take over the ConCourt through their application of amicus curiea which in fact was amicus upnd. The security situation may deteriorate if left to agitators. ConCourt is not above the law and they just broke the law by extending the time for hearing beyond our constitution.
The system has failed and the Executive’s primary objective is to maintain law and order … it is time to shift gears and close this academic exercise. Zambia Is Greater Than Any Single One Of Us. Stop the circus … Life Is A Serious Enterprise!
Throw these two *****s in prison now for treason. Even their own lawyers abandoned them!
‘Mr Hichilema and Mr Mwamba later took the stand and addressed the court separately arguing that their rights have been abrogated after the courts refused to allow an extension of the 14-day time limitit’…….kikikikikikiki. One cannot have rights outside what is provided in the constitution. In allowing the courts to adjourn,the judge was just following procedures of the court but believe you me this will be set aside once PF lawyers make an application based on the earlier ruling of the court that 14 days is 14 days, otherwise anything that will be done outside the 14 days will be deemed illegal. Judges do not have powers to change the constitution. This case is over.
Hate or love them. On this one it’s bravo to HH & GBM. They have actually made the ConCourt look stupid. Did it just break it’s own ruling on the meaning of 14 days?
Let both parties be heard. Am just one of those Zambians who wants to hear the truth. Let judgement be based on the evidence. Whoever emerges winner at the end will be my President. its good the court made that decision.
pemo, indeed bamwi bola naikosa. They’ve abrogated the responsibilities they promised to do. Lungu failed to respect and uphold the constitution he pledged, under oath, uphold by not handling power to the Speaker of The National Assembly.
This is an impeachable if not treasonable offense
Elections should be decided by polls and not courts. This exercise is a farce. Next Parliament should see scrap the provision.
Also how can 3 PROVINCES rule over 7 Provinces.
ECL WON.
DUNDUMWEZI IS NOW A BY-WORD FOR UPND REGIONALISM AND RIGGING.
SHAME.
Elections should be decided by polls and not courts. This exercise is a farce. Next Parliament should see scrap the provision.
Also how can 3 PROVINCES rule over 7 Provinces.
ECL WON.
DUNDUMWEZI IS NOW A BY-WORD FOR UPND REGIONALISM AND RIGGING.
SHAME ON THEM.
Judge Chibomba is eroding the confidence people had in the Constitutional Court.
Judge Chibomba earlier made a strong ruling regarding timeframe set by the constitution, that judges had no power to change it.
She had made a ruling that 14 days cannot be altered, concluding that the case had to be closed by 23:59.
She then turned and went directly opposite her own ruling. So, what can we say about her earlier ruling or her 2nd ruling.
Judges must be careful to preserve the trust people wish to place in the courts of law.
Right now, I feel that the ruling regarding the minister’s stay in office could easily be changed if it were possible to pursue it further, because the Constitutional Court has set precedent, that it can easily change its own ruling.
In fact there were…
In fact there were more grounds to constitutionally argue the issue of ministers stay in office than the very definite rule around the constitutional 14 days limit.
Let the law not depend on likes and wants of the judges, but on meritorious nature of the cases involved.
It is the responsibility if judges to ensure that people maintain their respects for verdicts from the courts.
Judge Chibomba must not be shocked if UPND uses the same bending she has made to ‘favour’ the UPND to blame the courts for inconsistency and incompetency.
While I know that the judge may have wanted to apply the,
“Tubatwalile abene bakayonawile”, so that the court is not blamed for a brouhht-in-dead (BID) case,
this should not have called for going against own ruling.
I know, HH and GBM have no case. The lawyers left not because there was no time left, no.
It was because there no case; that is why they kept looking for preliminaries, to justify their hiring.
When time for preliminaries was over they had to leave because there was no more case left.
How on earth do you as plaintiff ask the defendant to help you with evidence?
That is what the UPND did; they were asking ZNBC, whom they have sued, to provide evidence.
Are you sure you have a case?
LET JUST THE ARMY TAKE OVER-THE CIVILIANS HAVE FAILED US!!
There is a BIG LIKELIHOOD that anything done OUTSIDE OF THE 14-DAY period will be CHALLENGED as being UNCONSTITUTIONAL and therefore ILLEGAL. This is the RISK the COURT has set itself for. As a Court, you can NOT allow LITIGANTS to come into Court and BEND rules. Especially given the fact that these are Lawyers who should have known better. You can’t tell me HH/GBM Lawyers were unaware of the TIME LIMITS imposed by the Constitution on this Case.
LEGAL PRECEDENCE becomes part of the BODY OF LAW for any Country. And the one the Constitution Court has set here is very DANGEROUS and goes against everything Courts are supposed to be doing. Remember, anything UNCONSTITUTIONAL is more than likely ILLEGAL and, consequently, UNBINDING in the eyes of the Law. And CONSTITUTIONALLY there is…
continue…
… NOTHING now that can stop ECL from being inaugurated.
This concourt is full of dunderheads. What was the point of working up to midnight if it was not to beat the 14 days deadline?
Good strategic move by these two fighters…its no wonder they have more zeros in their bank accounts than the rest…they are fighters which is a good sign of leadership…i have asked people why they want a swift judgement and no one has given a sensible answer.
UPND Disaster. You f00ls started it by presenting your petition very late, (on the last day of the 7 days) During the 14 days, there was just f00lisheness in presenting summons and changing the petition from one form to another. So far I have NOT heard a single FACT of illegality from the petition but just useless this and that. Then the whole bunch of lawyers walk out on the 2 rich f00ls. I don’t know whether it is a question of payment the rich f00ls have not made. The 2 f00ls addressed the court to abrogate its rules. I think this issue is embarrassing us and should be thrown out immediately. ZWD why are you insulting the court which you praised for kicking out Ministers. You are immoral and ba.stards. Report fairly or you be treated as part on satanism
But in his moving submission, Mr Hichilema almost caused laughter when he said the UPND does not need sympathy but a fair hearing from the Concourt.
HH sounds more than a lawyer to me than the one we have in state house, when you are intelligent and brave, you can handle anything, No wonder these two guys, HH and GBM stands out from the crowd of most Zambians who have made poverty their potion and just accepts everything. Life is about people who can stand up for what they believe in, I think HH is the right man to lead the nation.
Next we shall demand for Lungu to be in court if truly he is a lwayer.The law requires lungu and Wina to stand in the docket and as there lawyers argue their case.We have precedence were a siting president waved his immunity and stood in Chikwa court with Richard sakala.This president was Charles ,Mwango ,Katonga ,Sata.So Lungu who is not even president elect should come to con court and defend himself or listen as the judgment is being past that’s the how courts operate. Who is Lungu not to come to court,he should step down hence forth.
It’s not about 15 million Zambians but its abouts the upnd. We are tired let Lungu.govern. a loss is not easy you are in denial, it has happened. It may take time to reach acceptance. Also you have your right to be heard.
GBM has wisdom, the way he is formulating himself since he moved to UPND is astonishing.
We have to admit that all the education in the world cannot save Zambians from their inbred stoopidity. The ConCourt bench is just a bunch of monkeys masquerading as a court. These ruffians in wigs should be let out to dig their kandolos in the fields instead of wasting time talking about law. They have no clue!
you think lungu has 15million people on his back?no sir hh has half even more of that behind him not saying that i am but its logical and the case has to be satisfactory beyond all reasonable doubt for him to conceed because such is how the law work
On Monday ECL Lawyers should start by ascertaining the legality of going beyond the set legal frame work (14 days ) chances are anything discussed outside that framework will be null and void. This has exposed how unprepared UPND team was, it needed strategists not chancers (mushipelogists). They knew they only had 14days, like in an exam when you have limited time focus on areas of strenght that will give you maximun returns. TheY should have focused on their best evidence an on a strong case. They failed to plan and went all over the place, and now the whole country should suffer for it. YOUR LACK OF PLANNING SHOULD NOT CONSTITUTE AN EMERGENCY ON MY PART.
Remember these are the people that said they were not going to accept results even before the elections were held. They guys are…
This is golden opportunity to remove Chibomba as President of the ConCourt. She has failed to manage matters at such a high Institution. A chance has presented itself very clearly, ECL quickly take action immediately after inauguration and replace her. She doesn’t know what she is doing. How dare she disregards the Constitution. Didn’t she know that those Petitioners needed to be heard. ECL please replace her
Forget ba hh and your GBM. The case is over, it’s pf again. Lawyers running away from them it’s sign that these under 5 politicians have no case to present before the court. Ifintu ni lungu. GBM take over the leadership of upnd. Congrats to GBM
What do you call 5 dumb monkeys sitting on a bench?
ANSWER: Zambian Constitutional Court
Two crooked Machiavellian thugs holding the nation to ransom. FKUCK YOU mothar Fkuckers (HH) and GBM. Fkuck you an your SHlT miserable lives.
Pieces of sewege SHlT!
No need to get Personal Mr Kudos…… you could only wish that your ECL had the Heart of HH!
Kadansa, your Kalusa is a miserable lDlOT. The fkucker thinks he’s smart yet he’s just a miserable inbred lMBEClLE!
Satamic piece of SHlT with a stench of styupidity in his Arrse mother fkucker
This is what amazes me – how despite supposedly being winners, PF are so sore and bitter that they cannot sit down and enjoy the drama. What type of genuine winner can be so bitter like Lungu, Kidos, and starving PF thugs?
Mentally retarded PF Cadre.
thats language for a typical pf cadre
Mr Kudos. Explain what you mean by inbred. I have heard about this rumour of inbreeding as an explanation as to why somebody has no father because the identity of the father has been kept secret.
SENIOR ENGINEER RTD, Kalusa was born when his father Mr Chitombwa Senior fkucked his own biological sister. That’s why you never hear of (HH) talking about him. Kaponya (HH) is an inbred marggot
Wait a minute. UPND lawyers abandoned or left the court as a tactical move to force the court to take the matter to Monday?
Correct….. A Tactical Move!
That is precisely correct. Good move.
Look, you can comfort yourselves by calling the walkout, a tactical move.
What is the purpose of tactic when you have no case.
It’s like formulating strategy, yet you got no vision.
You start off yet you got no destination. UPND have no case, mark my words.
This extension (personally I call it interpretation of days as week days) is mean to clearly expose the UPND falsehood, and make disappointment more clear and undisputable.
The docile masses wouldnt understand such…imagine Lungu a useless lawyer thinking of such a move; he would have simply quit and stolen all your money before the petition started.
Mr Kudos, I wish I know your personally. Just sit down and reflect you comments. I feel so sorry for you. Even the devil can’t write such statements. I guess the devil is even telling God am not that evil after all see your people on earth. Just sit and search your heart! God bless you.
@Kelvin
I would not waste a breath about Mr Kudos, he is mentally retarded PF Cadre who should be sectioned at Chainama hospital.
This is injustice to PF from the concourt. But to let the people see the level of desperation in HH & GBM, lets give them time. If they weren’t accorded this time, they would’ve cried more and would’ve made more accusations on innocent souls. Surely, if they had reasonable evidence at hand, and knowing very well that they had only 14 days, wouldn’t they have presented it within 1 week? They’re dragging the case just to irritate the court and then turn around and make the court a laughing stoke. I applaud the concourt because they can read through the mischievous behavior of the petitioners. This is not an ordinary case where you go unprepared and expect the court to be lenient and give you more time. The time frame tagged on presidential petition is because it borders on governance…
Ba PF tekanyeni next week this case is about evidence which was being avoided. I shudder to think Isaacs, Essau Chulu and the rest on the stand being grilled! If u want to win avoid this stage.
PF have been trying to win on technicalities, including avoiding to be served the petition. Annie Mwewa then obliged them by refusing to work weekends and evenings, but then supporting PF’s 14 days is 14 days posture. The ConCourt and PF have been frustrating the petition with the hope of running out of time. What these baPFikala do not understand is that justice frustrated is justice denied. PF have single handedly destroyed their own creation, the ConCourt. The ConCourt had no credibility whatsoever. It failed at its first test. Up to now it has not even ruled on Chakolwa not handing over power despite the Thursday deadline they themselves gave.
Ba Melody, is supposed to be furnished within stipulated time frame. The time frame for the presidential petition, is not like any other court case, it is stipulated in the constitution. 14 days only. So it is incumbent upon the petitioner to expedite the whole process as quickly as possible. Not to start stalling the same process. All what the petitioners want is anyone they can point at for their bad performance. Otherwise, the case would’ve been closed by now.
Mr Kudos, Don’t even attack others your very evil, we don’t need people like you in society.
The court has erred by abrogating the constitution which clearly states within 14 days.
Expect monkeys to do as they please when in power. The ConCourt is a PF creation and has proved itself to be a complete sham at its first real test. Zambians can slink back into their hovels and continue fetching crumbs for a living. The ConCourt is a shambles and a shame.
Next week all will be bad…secrets will be exposed
Let them be heard so that there will be no excuse. Going nowhere though. Judgement is already written out. Hoping huge charges will be ordered on HH and GBM for holding the nation to ransom on selfish grounds. Viva Smart ECL!!
Keep dreaming. What charges? Chakolwa himself came up with this stoopid Constitution, the inept ConCourt and is monkey judges. HH and losing parliamentary candidates should play the PF legal system to the maximum. Please drive the bakaponya up against the wall.
Congrats ba Nikambeko! How I wish people can stop being partisan and see through the mischievousness of the petitioners and the resultant effect on our economy and governance on our country. Keep it up!
This matter was going to be a lot easier if HH/GBM had not included ECL/IMW as respondents. They should have sued ECZ only. ECL is too smart for them. Petitions are welcome but they should not be abused and made unwisely. This particular one was a very loose arrangement and a minus to UPND’s future prospects.
The problem with Zambians is they think being crooked is being smart.
Ba Mumbi, from all what Nikambeko has said you can only see “SMART”. There is also “EASIER, SUED, ABUSED, UNWISELY, LOOSE”. Please say something about them.
Extended the deadline. That’s okay if PF won they will win again. Let HH hire another bunch of monuments. How can lawyers abandon the client? This is what happens when you have no evidence.
THE COURTS DO NOT CONDUCT ELECTIONS, THEY UPHOLD WHAT THE ELECTION BODY ECZ MANDATED BY LAW ANOUNCES THROUGH THE BALLOT, WHICH IS KEY TO THIS WHOLE MATTER, NOT WHAT UPND OR PF THINK AND SAYS. THURSDAY IS NOT FAR, LET THE PETITIONERS BE HEARD AND LETS UPHOLD MATURITY IN THIS WHOLE MATTER, WE CAN ALWAYS CHANGE AND AMEND THE CONSTITUTION AT ANY TIME WE FEAL LIKE IN FUTURE, GODS LAW IS SUPREME, HUMAN LAW CAN ERR AND TIRE, ONE LOVE ZAMBIA, KEEP PEACE.
The referee and his assistants do not play football, they preside over the football match. They uphold the results or scores of the teams. The referee is mandated by law to announce through the goals scored, which is the key to any football game outcome not what the two teams necessarily think.
It is however the duty of the FIFA or any soccer governing body to hear the side of the competition where they allege fraud or unfair practices from the winning team and referee. And if the adjudicating body finds that the referee allowed offsides, hand ball, crude tackles to count for goals scored, then that win will be reversed!
The ConCourt has been specifically asked to determine if PF-Lungu abrogation of constitution rules on clean and fair elections constitutes a valid win and…
Can the same lawyer represent the petitioners? Just wondering if anyone knows
I believe they will be re-engaged by HH and GBM to continue representing them. Their main contention of the lawyers was that the Concourt had put conditions that made it difficult for them to adequately put forward a case for their clients.
I am not a lawyer so I beg your indulgence
Let us just usher Lungu in office the 14 days waiting period is over and let this guys continue in court but they should know that there time ended yesterday what they have now is the right to be heard.
Good way of looking at it, ba Wisdom. You’re indeed wise. Otherwise, the intentions of the petitioners detrimental to our country.
Its this type of ignorant mindset that is taking us nowhere..you dont even know why they are in court in the first place…
The fact is the Judges had to throw the case out if the antics of the Applicants was making their job difficult. They firmly had to direct the case in the time allocated. All the drama created by HH and GB should have seen them sent to Jail.
I think Zambians need to protest at this Judicial decision, it is only going to lead to violence in Zambia. Again our judicial system is lacking.
It’s very disappointing, I feel like @BR Mumba, the people have been let down and I support the idea of a state of emergency.
Okay, maybe I was being too emotional! We should calmly let this drama pass!
Instead of a State of Emergency, we should just have a civil war. There’s no point for PF to sit on the other half of the country that does not support it. This is a cultural war between the thieves and the farmers.
@Patriot Abroad,
LOL – You don’t come across as a qualified and an accomplished solicitor. Maybe a Law student in his early years, yes.
This is golden opportunity to remove Chibomba as President of the ConCourt. She has failed to manage matters at such a high Institution. A chance has presented itself very clearly, ECL quickly take action immediately after inauguration and replace her. She doesn’t know what she is doing. How dare she disregards the Constitution. Didn’t she know that those Petitioners needed to be heard. ECL please replace her
Pipo lets not fight by using abusive words here.we are one people of the same mother that is Zambia.lets wait for the concourt to work out their mathematics.God bless you all.
Zangose.
Too many cooks spoil the broth : You had Nevers, Masebo, GBM etc making pronouncements. Also emotions took control over logic.
Important question: who appoints concourse judges?
Your grandma. Ask her if you think I am lying. What a preak!!!!
I am sure the Judges knew the motive behind the walk out by UPND lawyers. They are also smart. So perhaps there is another reason for them to abrogate the constitution and adjourn to Monday. Nonetheless, this is a bad precedent. Law is law. The 14 days should have been strictly followed.
“And Mr Mwamba said the court had no powers to declare Edgar Lungu the winner …..” I thought Edgar was already declared winner by ECZ and the court will only concur or nullify this declaration. Why then take your complaint to this court
Agony is – yo lawyers scamper!!!! I think this wil oso hapen in gbm’s other assault cases. Lawyer temunobe!
HH and GBM should stop wasting our time. We need to move on and live our lives. 14 days is over and now it is purely an academic exercise. Accept the people’s decision that you have been rejected, period. Enough with this drama
Why don’t you move on yourself? What are you waiting for if they are wasting their time? What does the PF Constitution say? Why did you put provisions in the Constitution that waste time? Can you see that all this is caused by your own stoopidity?
The petitioners engaged a lot of lawyers who took too long discussing their issues knowing very well they only had 14 days. The constitution is fine. Its the stoopidity of the petitioners camp which is irritating and annoying. The concourt is merely giving them more rope to hung themselves.
PF cadres do not just talk any how , please try to read between the lines. The lawyers withdrew, was a strategic one. UPND lawyers has brains compared to PF lawyers. Look at all the court proceedings , I think UPND lawyers has more facts than PF lawyers ,that is the reason why they are being denied to be heard. It doe not matter what experience PF lawyers has, in this they are totally doing nothing, it is the self imposed government which is doing the all work behind their back and push for a premature ruling.
If they have broken the law then it means any ruling they make consequently is a contemptuous ruling in the sense that they have allowed fools to be coned into thinking they are being entertained. But in reality they will be heard outside the Law, so this is another way of placing the Applicants in proper place. The decision was not correct because it was not based of something that was found compelling in the Applicants Case points, the main petition had not even begun! Further more there was clear indication to the Judges that the Applicants do not have a case in law having begun with phishing exercises to find evidence which they clearly did not have at filing the case. Further more the the request to MAKE CHANGES TO THEIR SKELETON ARGUMENT, was clear indication to the judges that…
Further more the the request to MAKE CHANGES TO THEIR SKELETON ARGUMENT, was clear indication to the judges that the Applicants had commenced proceedings without having a good foundation. This case indicates a weakness in our judiciary. A firm action of throwing case out was the respectable thing to have done. Now people are questioning the law, how can that be good? Bizarre.
The problem is that, they are not talking of how the elections were rigged but rather just on ECL to step aside. So, this shows the hate these two people harbor against the President. It’s not HH and GBM who voted ECL but the People. And the same people are judging the capabilities of the two to lead them. So, it’s either they’re destroying their future political endeavours or not.
That’s why it Treasonous! They are more minded to prevent the democratically elected President to run the country. They are using the law to prevent the President to rule. This cannot be lost on the judges. In despotic Leaderships, all judges would be reassigned but luckily for us His a Excellency President Lungu is a patient God fearing and law abiding man.
How laughable! KaChakolwa is busy manipulating these 5 monkeys sitting on a bench. It is Lungu who is committing treason by not handing over power to the Speaker. It is Lungu who wanted himself crowned President until the Chief Justice refused to inaugurate him. Lungu already committed treason when he revealed Cabinet proceedings to Newton Ng’uni in his attempt to continue as Acting President instead of the then VP, Guy Scott. Lungu is a selfish traitor who does not care for Zambia. He wants to die in office like his hero Robert Mugabe.
Can someone challenge me, in this, WHICH PETITION HAD A FULL HEARING TIME FROM UPND? EVERYING THING WERE THROWN OUT. even a dull person can see the unprofessional ruling from JUDGE ANNIE MWEWA SITALI.
RESEARCH MORE, BANE.
By law 14 days does not mean 14 calender days. Its simply means 14 working days. The simple question to ask is did the concourt sit to hear the case on the Saturdays and Sundays that fell between the day the petition was presented and yesterday? If not why? Lets not be partisan but objective especially that whatever will be the verdict will be the precedence set and it will be a reference point in future shouldna case like this come up. We need to be mindful that the this sitiation does not haunt us in future.
Unfortunately, this Zambian ConCourt has set a precedent in stoopidity. The whole world will forever know how not to run a court from this Zambian case.
Honestly, I don’t know why people persist with this illogical argument. I have been to court representing myself many times than I care to recount. LET ME ASSURE YOU THAT HERE IN THE WESTERN WORLD, 14 DAYS IS 14 DAYS INCLUDING WEEKENDS. I have been to the high court here, twice and each time I did not prepare my case in the days stated AND the Clerks removed the application from the hearing list until I took further action. Let’s concentrate on whether the Constitutional courts are still within the law or have they indicated a fault in the law or are they not capable to support the country properly. We are in danger here. The unmootable fact is UPND have lost the case and the judges are treating them contemptuously , because the judges may feel it better to play along to stop…
So a president can argue that his five year tenure of office as stipulated in the constitution should not include weekends and public holidays. It is ridiculous. This bipartisan unprincipled concourt can plunge this country into a blood bath.
Read article 269(b) of the constitution of what it says. 14 days is 14 calendar days full stop. No addition and no subtraction.
This are the kind of people we need as president not a Chakolwa they are not Lawyers but they managed to convince the court,Edgar Vodka is a lawyer yet he fails to understand Law and you are happy,the guy is only good at swindling widows. Foolish Zambian
UPND should be given an adequate and fair hearing. To HH and GBM I say “bravo”.You are indeed men.And please bring back the same lawyers,those are brilliant legal brains.Yes if voting time could be extended why not the right to be heard?
@True Patriot,
Well spoken. Yes, on balance the same lawyers are likely to be re-engaged, since the obstacle that caused them to withdraw has been removed.
SONTAPO, how can they talk about RIGGED ELECTION, when all petitions had been thrown out without a full hearing. It’s like they are not giving you any chance to express your selves.
Its rigged election, which can not be proved by a rigged judicial system. How else can we call this ConCpurt?
I have been mentioning this they made the positive judgement on Lungu Ministers case, just to build some credibility, expecting that any petitions will be thrown out. They underestimated the fighting spirit og HH and GBM, and they have found themselves in an awkward situation
THEY SIMPLY DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO NEXT, BESIDES THAT THEY ARE NOW EXPOSING THEMSELVES TO THE WORLD.
SHAME !!!!!
Imwe ba ngwele, please act like you have been to school. It doesn’t have to be Law School for you people to understand even SIMPLE LEGAL CONCEPTS. Courts operate on REAL EVIDENCE and not RUMORS, INNUENDO, CONJECTURE, EMOTIONS, SPECULATIONS, and the like. If what you take to Court as evidence turns to be irrelevant or immaterial to the Case at hand, any Court in the world will throw such “evidence” out. The Court is not a place you take stuff cooked up on ZWD and Movi Tv as evidence. YOU NEED REAL EVIDENCE!
That’s why there are preliminary hearings in every Case so that immaterial and unnecessary issues (which may include striking down certain witnesses and evidence) are dealt with to avoid time wasting when the actual trial begins. And going by the amendments and amount of demands…
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… your “kandans” HH and his sidekick, GBV, were making on the Court through their Lawyers, no Court in the world (no matter how efficient and well-funded they are) would have been able to conclude that Case in 5 years, let alone 14 days, if the Court allowed every cr@p in!
What makes you to be so sure that Concourt is not biased? Make no mistake, I am neither UPND nor PF. I just want a fair judicial system, I am not convinced things are being handled in a fair way. Full Stop.
You are happy with current situation because its playing in your cards as PF, imagine it was the other way round, how would you be feeling?
BTW, HH & GBM have been voted by appr 49% of the Zambian voters. Take my point here, I am saying Zambian voters, I am not saying Southerners or NW or whatever rubbish, what is important to me is that they are Zambians and their vote can not be ignored. What HH is doing is right, fighting for those Zambians who wanted he be their leader, until the court FAIRLY proves otherwise. So STOP the CRA@P!
@general Kanene: Stop being emotional like your “Older Sister” Martha Mushipe. You accuse others of being PF yet your own rant betrays your loyalties. It doesn’t matter whether HH got 49% (the number that only exist in UPND confused minds) of the vote. The fact is he lost. That’s how Democracy works. You can be beat by one (1) vote and still be a Loser. Tough reality you JOKERS in UPND should come to terms with real quick or your relevance will soon be called into question.
Courts are not places you take your SUSPICIONS and INFLATED SPECULATIONS and expect to win. Courts are not SOCIAL MEDIA where everything goes. And the way you fight for people who voted for is to be honest with them. Promise them to do better next time. It is NOT by trying to wrestle an election, through…
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… WANTON PETITIONS in Court, from the rightful person who CONVINCINGLY won it by any metric you want to employ. So, CRY ME A RIVER bwana @Kanene!
@Yambayamba
However you call them “SUSPICIONS and INFLATED SPECULATIONS”……..its not you or me to call them as such, its the Court that can do so. Your conclusion is based on bits of information that you are reading from the media, you have no clue what they have as evidence. So stop making such statements.
UPND is just exercising their own constitutional right, its written in black and white, if things did not run accordingly they can petition. The same way PF would petition if they were not happy.
So I don`t know who is emotional here. You are pure PF and I am neither PF nor UPND, so don`t impose any political affiliation on me. Go cry somewhere else.
Iwe @general Kanene, why do some you people want to act smarter than you really are? If you argue in circles, you bound to confuse yourself. My initial post was a reaction to this statement; “when all petitions had been thrown out without a full hearing” by @Con. Court above. A statement you seem to agree with in your initial post. Now you come back here telling me it’s only the Court who can determine what is SUSPICIONS and INFLATED SPECULATIONS. Well, if you have been hibernating in some cave somewhere all this time, that is EXACTLY what the Court has done! Fifty-something (50+) WITNESSES/EVIDENCE have been judged worthless and struck down, by the COURT, from the initial list HH/GBV Lawyers filed. And that is what @Con.Court is whining about. Now you want to lecture me about an issue…
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… you seem not to have the basic understanding of? Please keep track of the totality of the arguments from others than jumping to conclusions of what you think someone is saying or has said. You end looking like an @ss—TYPICAL OF UPND SYCOPHANTS!!!
I am NOT UPND, I am NOT UPND, I am NOT UPND! Meanwhile your RANTS tell a different story. GEEESSSS!!!
Iwe ka @Yambayamba,
Yes, I was off for sometime after the election and was relaxing on nice beach in Greece, hoping that you people would have grown up, but the same song. So I am fresh as opposed to you. You only think in terms of PF and UPND, if one is not PF then automatically he is UPND. Sorry. I am NOT UPND, I am NOT UPND, I am NOT UPND.
You directed your response specifically to me so, don`t be so intelligent and stopt twisting things
14days it’s not 14 calendar , it’s 14 working plus full hearing days. Exclude weekends.
Every business minded person understands that 14 days here implies business days and NOT calendar days. Constitutional judges are not Paid for working weekends, unless its overtime. But we are not dealing with overtime here.
If ConCourt can not interpret such simple logic, I doubt how they can make a reasonable and fair judgement on the whole case.
The Cocourt is the authority on constitutional law, its THEM and ECZ to blame for the continued mess. Full stop.
BMC which law are you referring to? The 14 days includes Sundays, Saturdays and holidays. Reason is to ensure the matter is disposed off ASAP.
The writing’s on the wall. Doom looms for Zambian democracy.
Rejected or thrown out, then what do you deal with? Dora take amalushi yobe kuli RB wiso. HH &GBM knows that when a rat runs away you dont kill the cat. No shortcut, Pakalitulike. Who is a fool, co court or the one who appointed them.
@ Con.Court
How can you say UPND lawyers has brains than PF, UPND brought 80 facts against PF and lost them all except 2 (80-2=78) lost to PF, who do you think have got brain????? MAYBE it could be reason of all lawyers to scamper, Sangwa checked out at 16 hrs while others started going out one by one, What brain is that?
You can feel the venom in GBM ‘s voice at the mention of the name Edgar Lungu.
Concourt, If at all the reasons were genuine as they claimed that they have Water tight Evidence, they cannot be thrown out. But you bring facts fro Social Media. In courts, its evidence that counts not hearsay.
Gratulation HH and GBM for forcing the ConCourt to adjourn the case.
I am not a UPND or PF supporter, BUT i believe in fair trial and fulfillment of one`s democratic rights, hence I am with you to fight for your cause, whatever the outcome, keep on fighting.
You have opened the eyes of those who want to see, I think a normal thinking person can see that the Concourt is acting against you – rigged, rigged, rigged.
How can hearing of such a magnitude case be done in 2hours? Those Lawyers are not ditching HH and GBM, but trying to preserve their professional dignity as 2 hours is simply not possible, this is not “Judy Show”-Reality show in the US.
@general kanene,
Absolutely true. Well spoken.
WHAT GOOD LESSON IS THERE WHEN YOU DELIBERATELY RUN YOURSELVES OUT TIME AND THEN TURN AROUND AND CRY FOUL? TO YOU, FAIR TRIAL IS FOR THE COURT TO DANCE TO HH’S TUNE NO MATTER HOW LONG IT TAKES? NO, BANE! HH’S CAMP NEW THE TIME FRAME WELL BEFORE THEY EMBARKED ON THE PETITION. THIS IS JUST GROSS ABUSE OF THE LEGAL SYSTEM AND DELAYING JUSTICE TO ECL.
I hope you do appreciate the fact that REAL DEMOCRATS respect LAWS and RULES which are the CORNERSTONE of every Democracy. You can NOT claim the “fulfillment of [your] democratic rights” if you yourself does not want to respect and obey the tenets of a Democratic society—which includes RULES and LAWS—and we talking CONSTITUTIONALLY MANDATED provisions here—not “kabungwe” by-laws!
@mwepo lawyers did not abandon HH and GBM. That was a protest amd scathing condemnation of the judges. Dont mislead people.
@Amour,
You are right and you have understood precisely that UPND lawyers made a tactical move and it has paid off in terms of getting more time they asked the concourt for. Unfortunately some bloggers are a bit slow on the uptake, hence it will take them days to finally get it. And it is that slow uptake that make most Zambians vulnerable and gullible, instead of questioning things there and then.
Wat nonsense is this, how can you allow this s hit to be happening in our country and you call them learned and competent judges? this can only happen in Zambia. These 2 F uckers HH & GBM are talking about human rights which they did not support during the referendum, so wat the hell of this bull s hit! We are watching you ba fikala. what presidency are you showing us? what does the law say about 14 days of petitioning? don’t take us for granted u i diots. Lungu should come and fire all these i diots for wasting our time and keeping us in suspense for too long.
DON’T GET TOO UPSET BRO! THAT’S WHAT THEY WANT US TO BE SO THAT THEY CAN START POINTING AT US. THEY ARE LOOKING FOR SCAPEGOATS. READ THEIR MINDS NOT THEIR WORDS,
Wat nonsense is this, how can you allow this s hit to be happening in our country and you call them learned and competent judges? this can only happen in Zambia. These 2 F uckers HH & GBM are talking about human rights which they did not support during the referendum, so wat the hell of this bull s hit! We are watching you ba f ikala. what presidency are you showing us? what does the law say about 14 days of petitioning? don’t take us for granted u i diots. Lungu should come and fire all these i diots for wasting our time and keeping us in suspense for too long.
@DAKA. Can u please avail me with any evidence that , the concourt had heard all the 72 petitions that was throw out. Let’s apply critical thinking in this.
What if Concourt decides to recuse itself following personal attacks from HH’s lawyers? A state of emergency has to be declared by President Elect Lungu.
@MWAPONABUTI. Think intelligently , discuss intelligently , and apply logic thinking in what u put forward.
illogical arguments about 14 days!! I have been to court representing myself many times than I care to recount. LET ME ASSURE YOU THAT HERE IN THE WESTERN WORLD, 14 DAYS IS 14 DAYS INCLUDING WEEKENDS. I have been to the high court here, twice and each time I did not prepare my case in the days stated AND the Clerks removed the application from the hearing list until I took further action. Let’s concentrate on whether the Constitutional courts are still within the law or have they indicated a fault in the law or are they not capable to support the country properly. We are in danger here. The unmootable fact is UPND have lost the case and the judges are treating them contemptuously , because the judges may feel it better to play along to stop them rioting.
You know, give them the luxury to feel they are being indulged and then let them down. It’s indisputable that we are in fresh waters her with the time limitations in view that the applicants even wanted to change their skeleton argument, that means they are trying to file another bit of their case way after the day of filing allowed!
@Patriot Abroad,
LOL – You don’t come across as a qualified and an accomplished solicitor. Maybe a Law student in his early years, yes.
I AM HORRIFIED. THE CONSTITUTIONAL COURT HAS SHOT ITSELF IN THE FOOT. IT SET TRIAL DATE FOR THE HEARING OF THE PETITION. THE PETITIONERS CAUSED THEIR OWN DELAYS THROUGH APPLICATIONS FOR AMENDMENTS AND CHANGES TO THEIR SKELETON ARUGUMENTS TO WHICH THE RESPONDENTS WERE MERELY RESPONDING. FINALLY IN AN UNPROFESSIONAL MANNER, THE LAWYERS WALK OUT OF COURT AND THE TWO PETIONERS ARE ALLOWED TO ADDRESS THE COURT, IN WHAT CAPACITY, I DO NOT KNOW. UNDER WHICH AUTHORITY DID THE COURT ALLOW AN ADOURNMENT? ARE COURTS ALLOWED TO CHANGE THE LAW OF THE LAND? WHAT WILL BE TH LEGAL STATUS OF THE PROCEEDINGS ON MONDAY? THE RESPONDENTS LAWYERS SHOULD STAND UP AND TERM THE PROCEEDINGS ON MONDAY ILLEGAL.
@Chil
It’s a mistake really because their authority is now weakened. They have not acted firmly enough and a case must be cleaned up during interlocutory sessions for good reason. This indicates poor case management and the preliminaries for this type of election challenges needs to be looked at urgently. The process must not be complex as to delay the winning president to take his seat. To be relevant a Law must be resolving something not growing roots all over the place in all directions at will because people would not know what law to follow!
Power hungry people don’t give up so easily especially when they are so close to what they want.Its really disappointing that an honourable court fails to uphold the rule of law,I thought upnd had the fourteen days from the day the petition was filed,is it the court which delayed them to give them extra days,alot of things are on hold because of the petition and it seems people are over looking that?you have now started tasting the patiance of Zambians.
That’s HH and GBM for you, running a personal agenda, it’s about them, thinking they are the best, puffed up by some little wealth. That is what happens when poverty stricken people touch some wealth through tenders. It gets to their heads and think they are the best and every owes them homage. Zambia is bigger than HH and HH is not a saviour for Zambia or a small god as parroted by his blind followers looking forward for jobs and tenders if he ever ruled Zambia.
UPND is an interest group not a political party. And Zambians need to wake up and not vote for them in future.
Sabbath begins at sun set Fridays, what was the so called church elder doing in Court past mid night? Was He busy calling humans ‘my lord’ instead of being in church of “the Lord’.? I m afraid the case is lost.
A wise judge knows a mocker when he hears one! From the picture most present in court seem to be falling asleep, maybe the judges were too tired to hear the case and make reasonable judgement! ,let’s not be too harsh.
Sabbath Keeper..
People do not dispair. The ConCourt was praying for such an application by HH. For them to give Judgement the case MUST BE HEARD. So what will happen on Monday is that once the first witness takes the stand, the Respondent’s Counsel will rise on a point of objection , state that the ConCourt no longer has the Jurisdiction to ptoceed. The ConCourt will adjourn for 30minutes and then come and issue a ruling citing the 14Day requirement and also remind the petitioners that their Constitutional right to be heard had been granted BUT the ConCourt had to obey the Constitution and end the case ! Will UPND complsin that they were heard? No !
Kikikikikiki They ran away from midnight ruling…..Game is over. Bye bye Polio, UPND. Cu in 2021 if you will survive under GBM…our planted boy into your territory
Once we are a country start demanding truly transparent elections and really conduct transparent, free and fair elections, we won’t have petitions. Elections processes that are full of abuse of state institutions and resources will always be suspected to be rigged. A free media and fair policing is important. Not forgetting an impartial justice system. The fact that our systems may be better than others is no reason to fold arms when the situation is slowly resembling other countries whose systems are worse. We need a proper reorganization. The UPND should not be blamed for seeking their rights to be heard as provided by law. Let’s debate without insults. Those who insult no matter which side demonstrate a serious lake fair mindedness and lack points.
Once we as a country start demanding truly transparent elections and really conduct transparent, free and fair elections, we won’t have petitions. Elections processes that are full of abuse of state institutions and resources will always be suspected to be rigged. A free media and fair policing is important. Not forgetting an impartial justice system. The fact that our systems may be better than others is no reason to fold arms when the situation is slowly resembling other countries whose systems are worse. We need a proper reorganization. The UPND should not be blamed for seeking their rights to be heard as provided by law. Let’s debate without insults. Those who insult no matter which side demonstrate a serious lake fair mindedness and lack points.
All lawyers are officers of the court and are obliged by law to work in the interest of justice. If the UPND lawyers felt their continued participation at that point meant giving legitimacy to injustice to their clients, they were right to withdrew representation. The court had earlier informed the parties that trial would begin on 2 to 8 September 2016. But the court suddenly changed and said the matter begins and ends on 2 September. The court is supposed to hear both parties and then pass judgement. The hearing must be done in a fair and transparent manner, giving each party adequate time to present their case.
The title of this article should have been (UPND Lawyers overwhelmingly run away with overwhelming evidence)
Academic exercise, look at it this way. I as a President appoints you as a concourt judge, then how can I as a concourt judge disappoint you who appointed me and saying you did not win the election. I even know that if I give it to the other guys and they happen to win, they would sort me out.
The moral of your point is that, the system is not right, this can happen even next elections, even next elections.
The ConCourt should not be appointed by the President, instead it should be appointed by an independent parliamentally committee consisting of all parties voted in parliament, and should not be dismissed at will by the President, their term of office should NOT coincide with any presidential election
Concourt is just fo0ling UPND by saying we have done you a favour, we are giving you time up to Monday, the verdict is already known and is in favour of PF. Even with the overwhelming evidence from UPND, it can change the predetermined verdict. Somebody will have to prove me wrong once verdict is passed.
“And Mr Mwamba stated that the bench has no powers to declare Edgar Lungu winner of the disputed elections.” Which bench Concourt or Respondent lawyers. If GBM meant concourt then the all process is petition is needed. It means court cando one thing and the other. Meaning the court cannot declare Edgar Lungu winner of the disputed elections but nullify Edgar Lungu’s victory in the disputed elections. So this case should just come out in favour of GBM and HH. Well am not a lwayer.
Reading most comments makes me sad because once again one can not ignore the fact that “education” has done little to change the mindset the “elite”.
What a circus, where in the world have you seen such nonsense. How can a petition be heard in 2 hours . Well done to HH and GMB as well as their lawyer who walked out. This sham. It seems either the judges are trying to judge confirm the ECL winner on technicality or they don’t understand the law period. The constitutional is supposed to be the vineguard of the constitution and where they are flaws in it like the 14 days that should state from the day the court hears the petition, unstead of when the petition is filed. They must make that ruling and proceed and ensure when Parliament next sits it is amended accordingly. They are the interpretors of the constituition and should be providing guidance that ensures that the rights of all Zambians are not infringed. It seems to me they…
UPND, so Judge Annie Sitali has suddenly changed her name to Anne Mwewa? Is tribalusm ever going to get out of your heads you satanists? And Concourt has been inducted into tribalism?
And HH has pleaded for his constitutional rights to be respected? What about my condtitutional rights? Does HH think that he more important than me and many other Zambians who voted for President Lungu?
Mulebako nga abena ALIKO DANGOTE,he is RICHEST in Africa but respects GOVERNMENTS both foreign and his own.what these two big fools/loosers are doing is PRIMITIVE BOASTING.you can fool your employees but not Zambia.
Retire from politics if you can’t trust ECZ and the CONCOURT, because those are zambia itself and they will be there even after you die.
HH blames everybody for his loss. He blames the winner ECL and his Vice Bo Inonge, he puts a blame on ZNBC, ECZ, ConCourt and now his lawyers. He is such a bad loser! The next time HH wants to stand for presidency, he must be reminded that they can only be one winner and that to beat the champion in boxing, you must aim for a knockout not point decision. I mean, you must win convincingly not 3 provinces out of 10 provinces. HH should also be reminded that a good leader must have national interest at heart, and not personal ego.
The other day I predicted that HH’s lawyers would abandon him. This latest turn of events I did not predict because it happened at night while I was sleeping, as all normal people do. Now I am now making another prediction.
The Concourt is disbanding itself between now and end of Monday. This will happen by way of resignations of most if not all its members. The reasons given by each member will be that they cannot be a part of a court which not only breaks its own rules and disrespects its own judgement, but also, more importantly, disrespects the constitution which binds it.
Now that is the only remaining logical conclusion of this saga turned comedy. Watch this space.
Give HH and GBM enough long rope to hang themselves… No matter how long it takes, ECL will carry the day…
mulebako nga abena ALIKO DANGOTE,he is RICHEST in Africa but respects GOVERNMENTS both foreign and his own.what these two big fools are doing is PRIMITIVE BOASTING.you can fool your employees but not Zambia.IF YOU DON’T TRUST ECZ,CONCOURT AND ZNBC BETTER RETIRE FROM POLITICS COZ THOSE ARE ZAMBIA ITSELF AND THEY WILL BE THERE EVEN AFTER YOU DIE.
The learned. I think that is what they are called or like to call themselves. What a shame!!! You are expecting too much good people. Zambian lawyers and judges are overglorified. The calibre of our judges leaves much to be desired and this election petition case management says a lot about the kind of yardstick that is used by the president to appoint these pretenders. In any decent society many of these souls would not make bench and infact would be no where – l mean no where – near even the slightest of consideration for appointment. The ConCourt is a scam and a complete mockery of our judicial system. The ConCourt in its current form, shape and shade is an incapacitated institutional arrangement that is just a huge drain on our national resources. And as a country we really need to…
And as a country we really need to have a serious discussion as to why judges should continue to be paid for life. This is a very huge burden on our national resources that is completely unsustainable. That is why every Jim and Jane who has practised some law can use all the lobbying tactics at there disposal to become judges. Seriously, if we as a country have discontinued the practise of building houses for former presidents why shouldnt the same reasoning be used to stop this practise — which for me is an even bigger drain on resources than building a house for a president done ordinarily after 5 years. We are a country of many paradoxies; we are a country of very huge expectations and strangely a country of very low standards of performace and success.
A former privitization crook (HH) and a former drug dealer/ current wife beater and vulgar mouthed lumpene (GBV) together they have conned their way to having the ruling made on Monday…interesting…
These are truelly the last kicks of a mentally diseased horse or cow…
But ba UPND truly are dunderheads- you had over a week to organise your facts and have once again failed because you have NO FACTS!
Even in 2021 you chaps will fail because you are THE UNITED PARTY FOR NATIONAL DUNDERHEADS
UPND Disaster. You f00ls started it by presenting your petition very late, (on the last day of the 7 days) During the 14 days, there was just f00lisheness in presenting summons and changing the petition from one form to another. So far I have NOT heard a single FACT of illegality from the petition but just useless this and that. Then the whole bunch of lawyers walk out on the 2 rich f00ls. I don’t know whether it is a question of payment the rich f00ls have not made. The 2 f00ls addressed the court to abrogate its rules. I think this issue is embarrassing us and should be thrown out immediately. ZWD why are you insulting the court which you praised for kicking out Ministers. You are immoral and ba.stards. Report fairly or you be treated as part on satanism
We need to learn lessons from what has happened. As a country we must be able to form a forum to discuss such national issues with a view to better govern ourselves. Once the outcome is pronounced, the winners will be in jubilation usually forgetting that almost half the voters (ie the person next to you) wont be as happy as you. We need sober-minded leadership in times like these to reunite the nation. No need to poke fingers at the losers because they may just turn round and break them and hell can very easily break loose.
It is clear to all and sundry that the constitutional court is made up of incompetent judges. How can one Hildah Chibomba, a known member of the UPND election campaign fundraising team, go beyond the constitutionally provided 14 days in which to dispose of the presidential petition? Who is she trying to please? Her fellow Tonga, Hakainde Hichilema?
Why is it that the UPND team did not seek clarification on the 14 day period earlier so that they could have asked for the court to hear them on weekends? Or is it a clear case of the UPND not having had a clear case right from the beginning and simply trying to abuse the court process? Judge Chibomba should know that she is being watched and anything that will be ruled on after the 14 day period will be of no effect legally.
Because the Judge announced that trial will begin on 2nd September and end on the 8th.
She should also know that after this case people may request to have a tribunal constituted to investigate impropriety on her part. For how can Judge Chibomba fail to properly guide the proceedings of the Constitutional court by going by the 14 day period in which to dispose of a presidential petition. Certainly, this is incompetence of the highest order of its kind to have constitutional court judges contradict themselves over a simple matter of 14 calendar days. Why should we continue to even refer to these men and women as “learned” when they can fail us over such a simple matter as that of interpreting the 14 day period in which to dispose of a presidential petition?
It is disgusting. I lomg for the days when judges were respected and the high court was feared. During the days of justices Frederick Chomba, Annel Silungwe, Enerst Sakala and Matthew Ngulube, this silly lawyer martha mushipe would not have done what she did in court. We expect judge Hilda Chibomba to apply sanctions on her to save the courts integrity.
The only honourable thing for the Concourt is to resign and avoid further shame on themselves and the country.
Another look at that picture and you will see that half the people in it are fast asleep or dozing…all down to one compromised Judge who wanted to please her true employers with a swift discussion….when she could have easily adjourned to next week.
The hand of might Jah should stand tall against those who went to Malawi to be cooked for 4hrs to confuse the court.Lungu must first step down.
Which is more important, the constitution or the rules of natural justice that are the bedrock of a good constitution in the first place?? The petitioners need to be heard period.
And ve been wondering, what was the logic for picking 14days? What parameters did they use to say 14 and not 7? If the decision was well though out the court should v explained to the petitioners what they really needed to do. The court in my opinion is highly incompetent.
It It is folly for PF supporters to cry foul on the extension of time yet their President has disregarded the provision of him handing over power to the Speaker