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Attorney General Likando Kalaluka has submitted before the Constitutional Court that President Edgar Lungu is eligible to contest the 2021 presidential election.
This is in a matter in which four political parties namely Christian Democratic party,Zambia Republican party,New Congress party and Citizens Democratic party are seeking the court’s interpretation of President Edgar Lungu’s eligibility to stand in the 2021 elections.
Mr Kalaluka submitted before the bench of seven Constitutional court Judges that President Lungu qualifies to stand in 2021 because he only served one of the inherited term as opposed to the three years considered to be a full term of office by the amended constitution.
He said the current constitution does not cover circumstances under which President lungu was elected, urging the court to go back to the records of Parliament.
Mr Kalaluka wondered why President Lungu should be treated differently from others such as members of parliament and councilors who inherit a term of office and serve for less than three years in office.
And Mr Kalaluka has urged the Constitutional Court to expeditiously deal with the matter before the 2021 elections.
He says dragging matter until 2021 may disturb various electoral processes.
And lawyer Bonaventure Mutale who is representing the four political parties submitted that President Lungu should be allowed to contest the 2021 presidential election arguing that his stay in office from 2015 to 2016 does constitute a full term of office.
But the Law Association of Zambia and lawyers representing the UPND have insisted that President Lungu is not eligible to stand in the 2021 presidential election asking the Constitutional court dismiss the matter.
UPND lawyer Keith Mweemba submitted that President Lungu was elected twice as president and did not assume the office through the vice presidency.
And Constitutional lawyer John Sangwa who is representing LAZ argued that President Lungu is not eligible to contest the 2021 elections he has already served two terms as stipulated by Article 106(3) of the constitution.
He further argued that submissions by the Attorney General that the Constitutional court should deal with the matter before 2021should not be entertained as it is not a legal, but moral issue.
The matter has since been adjourned to 8th May,2018 for continued hearing.
QFM
