We note with utter disgust the rantings of PF Lusaka Province chairman, Paul Moonga, regarding the eligibility of his boss to go for a third term.
As UPND, we have chosen to stay away from the ongoing debate on the eligibility of Edgar Lungu to go for the third term of office. We believe the Concourt will be able to interpret the constitutionality of this attempt by Edgar.
What the PF must understand is that the UPND through its the alliance with the people of Zambia, is ready to face any opponent the PF will sponsor on the ballot. It’s not about Lungu but the entire PF that needs to be flushed out on 12th August for bringing untold misery to our people. What the PF must be worried about is the skyrocketing commodity prices which are now increasing on a daily basis while wages have remained stagnant.
What should worry them is the ever-depreciating Kwacha, the nonpayment of KCM employees, the lack of essential medicines in hospitals, the army of unemployed and but qualified teachers and not hallucinating about UPND and bribing everyone with printed Kwacha to stop Lungu from appearing on the ballot.
We would actually be happy to have him on the ballot because all Zambians are aware of his failures and are looking forward to mete justice through the ballot on 12th August.
You must stop intimidating the judiciary and allow them to act independently. Why panic if your shenanigans are legal? Perharps there is something that you know about this, that we don’t know? Whatever it is, Zambians refuse that you turn this country into a banana Republic.
Patrick Mucheleka
Deputy Secretary General – Politics
UPND.
ECL’s Eligibility is a legal and Constitutional matter which should be left to Zambia Concourt. Moonga and other PF Cadres should leave this issue in the hands of PF Lawyers, ECZ and Concourt. There is no need to threaten Concourt Judges and insult the Malawi Judiciary and Govt. Moonga and other PF Cadres should realise that ECL’s Eligibility is not well grounded legally and constitutionally. They fear that their Candidate might be disqualified and PF will be left in limbo after Nominations are closed. The best that PF can do is to elect a New Presidential Candidate for PF. ECL has already held office,been elected and sworn in twice and therefore cannot be elected for the third time. If ECL forces his way for an illegal and unconstitutional Third Term Zambians will deal with him…
Eff you kakaIa kobe.
Thoughts and good wishes to harry and Meghan. If racism can be shown to their mixed race child based on darkness of his skin, what more these Sudan black upnd diasporans. You guys must be suffering there abroad. Why suffer like that. Sad
If Concourt has Ruled in favour of ECL in this matter why is Paul Moonga and other PF Cadres worried? They are fearful that Concourt might nullify ECL’s Eligibility. PF has resolved to field ECL as their Presidential Candidate in the 2021 even if he ineligible. If ECL forces himself for a Third Term he will be committing Treason .PF Cadres should stop threatening Zambia Concourt Judges and insulting the Malawi Judiciary and it’s Govt. PF Cadres should leave Zambia Concourt to discharge its duty in an objective and Professional manner.
This is the desperate attempt by Hakainde Hichilema and UPND to come to power. But spreading falsehood about Presidential term will not get him there. Mark my words, the Court has decided the matter and people of Zambia have already made their mind.
We have been told numerous times that Concourt has already ruled that ECL is eligible to stand for a Third Term so why are PF Cadres panicking? PF Cadres are threatening Concourt Judges and insulting Malawi Govt and it’s Judiciary. Why are PF Cadres fearing that their Presidential Candidate,ECL might be disqualified? It seems PF knows that ECL doesn’t qualify for a Third Term becoz he has held office,elected and sworn in twice in twice in 2015 and 2016. President Chakwera of Malawi is the current Chairman of SADC and hence the PF Cadres have been sent on a fishing Expedition to find out Malawi Govt and SADC’s view on ECL’s Third Term Eligibility. Both SADC and AU will have to express a view on this issue. In the event that the 2021 Elections are violent and disputed the Chairman of…
UPND must stop cribbing now. No one is intimidating the judiciary. It is completely free and fair. You need to learn to accept the judgements even if they don’t suit your narrative.
The Constitutional Court has already interpreted and decided the matter. You should read the judgement. It has been established that according to Article 106 (3) and (6), a presidential term from 25 January 2015 to 13 September 2016 can’t be considered as full term, as it is less than three years.
We can see the anxiety. It is because now the funders are after HH to recover their money. He has no other option to pay back other than to anyhow come to power.
You celebrated the judgement when the same ConCourt ordered that salaries earned during illegal stay in office by ministers be repaid. Then what’s your problem to accept the judgement on presidential term by the same court? You can’t refuse to accept it because it doesn’t suit your rhetoric!
Forget everything. Tell us why HH is yet to announce his running mate? Mutale Nalumango was made Vice President of the party. Why couldn’t she be running mate? Doesn’t HH trust in women power? He incorporated women in NMC, but they were not given any importance in decision making!
let me wait for kz to insult some more ladies before i comment
The way HH is spreading falsehood, it is most likely to create anarchy in the country. He has become the biggest threat to peace and democracy of Zambia.
The verdict in the matter is clear. Even a layman can understand it. UPND should accept it and move on.
You need to read Article 106 (3) and (6) carefully to understand the matter. Don’t put the blame on PF. Paul Moonga is not intimidating anyone. He is only asking you to accept the court judgement.
Instead of making an issue out of nothing, why don’t you look within? There are many leaders in your party who are terrorised by HH. They are not allowed to speak their mind. That is called intimidation. First take care of that, will speak of other issues later.
IS IT NOT A FACT THAT EVEYONE WITHOUT EXCEPTION HAS THEIR PRICE ??
NOW LETS WAIT AND SEE FINAL VERDICT
Things have started falling apart. 2021 has come. Let’s see how it goes. God protect me from COVID so that I may be able to witness the forthcomings. Ine phee ngati chiphesi.
@Mary… According to you “It has been established that according to Article 106 (3) and (6), a presidential term from 25 January 2015 to 13 September 2016 can’t be considered as full term, as it is less than three years.”
But the 1996 constitution was in force in 2015 when Edgar Lungu was first elected as President.
In the 1996 constitution Article 35 on the Tenure of Office of President states
“1. Subject to clause (2) and (4) every President shall hold office for a period of five years.”
“2.Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Constitution or any other Law no person who “HAS TWICE BEEN ELECTED” as President shall be eligible for re-election to that office”
So for his first term in 2015 under the 1996 constitution, you have to…
On Ministers that remained in office after Parliament dissolved, PF President who is the Incumbent President of Zambia now,Challenged us that we don’t read the Zambian construction. The court vindicated us and no one has made any effort to part our back. Now we are very clear on the eligibility issue and you are adamantly refusing our assertion. If I may ask,who stands to loose in an event that his Excellence is disqualified on the eleventh hour? Your answer is as good as mine.
If indeed ECL has been endorsed for a Third Term by Zambia Concourt why is Lubinda discouraging Zambians from challenging ECL’s Eligibility in Court? If after Nomination a Citizen petitions ECL’s Eligibility then Concourt will merely re-confirm ECL’s Eligibility. Why are PF Cadres fearing that Concourt Judges might change their minds and disqualify ECL? Why are PF Cadres insulting the Malawi Govt and Judiciary for an issue which involves Zambia Concourt? There is more to this fear by PF Cadres. They should allow all Petitions filed with Concourt to be heard and determined within the time frame already laid out by ECZ. John Sangwa should be heard on this issue in Concourt and Concourt will hear and determine the Petitions and Rule accordingly.
TIKKI MUKALILA
It is more prudent for opposition political parties to impress voters using good campaign manifesto than attacking PF. That is what UNIP did. That is what MMD did. That is what PF also did. Why can;t opposition political partied also did it too> The term of office issue was resolved by making a distinction between getting elected with swearing in as opposed to holding office for two terms. The MBASELA term of office is by default based on the short duration of less than three years. The voters know best when it comes to electing leaders. Let all and sundry give voters the power to elect the leaders they deserve.
(1) The term of office for a President is five years which
shall run concurrently with the term of Parliament, except that the
term of office of President shall expire when the President-elect
assumes office in accordance with Article 105.
(2) A President shall hold office from the date the Presidentelect
is sworn into office and ending on the date the next Presidentelect
is sworn into office.
(3) A person who has twice held office as President is not
eligible for election as President
The cited Concourt Judgment doesn’t state that ECL is eligible for 2021. The Judgment dealt with Term Limits but didn’t address ECL’s Eligibility specifically.The Republican Constitution is very clear. ECL cannot qualify for a Third Term becoz he has held office , he has been elected and sworn in twice in 2015 and 2016. Besides no Person can serve beyond a maximum period of 10 years. If ECL is allowed to stand in 2021 and if he wins he will have served as President for 11 years and 6 months in 2026. This is illegal and unconstitutional. Concourt is a product of the Republican Constitution and is therefore not above the Constitution. An abrogation of the Republican Constitution by Concourt will have serious consequences on the Zambia Concourt Judges. The writing is on the wall.
The UPND’s Deputy Secretary-General started with lies that President Lungu is going for a third term. No need to read further news. UPND is full of liars.
The Constitutional Court has already declared the eligibility of President Lungu for the general election. Then why UPND wants to talk about the same topic again and again.
Why is he impose his thoughts and saying that UPND has allied with Zambia? Who has given him the right to speak on behalf of people??? Only UPND has a problem with President Lungu’s eligibility and no one else.
This is an unnecessary and baseless debt going on and on for the past many months. UPND has no right to oppose because the constitutional court has already given a green signal to President Lungu. End of the story!
UPND has spreads lies, negativity, and criticized the PF government for the last many years, and is continuously doing the same ahead of elections.
He trying to grab the public attention by targeting the Head of the State. So that big media houses the public the news. UPND doesn’t deserve our attention.
UPND’s whole election campaign is based on fake information. They have just decided to target President Lungu and PF members.
We don’t understand why Hichilema is scared of competition? Even he didn’t allow his party members to contest UPND’s Presidential elections and now they want to remove President Lungu’s name. This is ridiculous!!!!
If there were solid proofs against President Lungu in the first place, then the Court would have not allowed the President to contest the August elections. What UPND is doing here is just provoking innocent Zambians.
UPND should have brought a new face to the party and promote that person instead of giving a chance to a criminal HH who has been losing the election constantly, 5 times. Targeting President Lungu won’t give them any benefits.