I am not intimidating the judiciary – President Lungu

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President Lungu with other Heads of States at Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
President Lungu with other Heads of States at Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu has warned that there will be chaos in the country if judges try to emulate the Kenyan courts and stop his third term bid in 2021.

Speaking on arrival in Solwezi yesterday afternoon, President Lungu warned against emulating the Kenyan courts on whether or not he was eligible to contest the 2021 election.

He said he had the right to contest the presidency in 2021 if the Patriotic Front adopts him.

“To my colleagues in the Judiciary, my message is just do your work, interpret the law without fear or favour and look at the best interest of this country. Don’t become a copycat and think that you are a hero if you plunge this country into chaos. I want to close by saying that those people who don’t like peace and freedom will say ‘President Lungu is intimidating the courts of law’, I am not intimidating the judiciary, I am just warning you because I have information that some of you want to be adventurous, your adventure should not plunge us into chaos please!” President Lungu exclaimed.

“In English there is a saying, to be forewarned is to be forearmed. We don’t want to plunge this country into chaos because we are trying to imitate what’s happening elsewhere. We are a beckon of peace and freedom, let us keep it that way. I was on the ballot paper as candidate and I assured that I would protect Zambia and that I will do. God bless you.”

And President Lungu insisted that there were people with an agenda to get his government out of power.

“There are people outside Africa and some of them within Africa who want to bring confusion in Africa. They have picked on South Africa, Zambia and Kenya for a regime change. I said we should look out…..there are people out there who just want power change, they want to take over the country from us and manage us in the manner they did during colonial days, that I will not allow. So to my colleagues in the judiciary, my message is that do your work, interpret the law without fear or favour, look at the interests of this Country Zambia. Don’t try to become a copycat and think that you will be a hero, you will plunge this country into chaos,” President Lungu said.

He, however, claimed that his statement was not meant to intimidate the courts.

“I want to conclude by saying those people who don’t love peace and freedom will say President Lungu is intimidating the Courts of Law; I am not intimidating you my colleagues in the judiciary, I am just warning you that I have information that some of you want to be adventurous, your adventure should not plunge us into chaos please. There is an old English quote which says ‘forewarned is forearmed.’ We don’t want to plunge this country into chaos because of trying to imitate what is happening elsewhere, we have been a beacon of peace, freedom, justice and liberty, let us keep it that way,”

Lusaka Times

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