Zambian Court Rejects Bid To Disqualify Lungu From Upcoming Vote

Lusaka, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 11th Jun, 2021 ) :Zambia's Constitutional Court on Friday rejected a suit by civil rights activists disputing President Edgar Lungu's bid to contest upcoming elections.

Lungu, 64, came to power in 2014, initially replacing Michael Sata who died unexpectedly before the end of his term.

He then went on to win polls in 2016.

Sishuwa Sishuwa and Linda Kasonde of a Zambian human rights group, the Chapter One Foundation, filed suit against Lungu's bid to run again in the August 12 ballot, arguing that he had already served two terms and was thus ineligible.

But the judges ruled that Lungu had not been in office for more than two five-year terms and was therefore entitled to run.

The petitions "have no merit and are accordingly dismissed," Judge Annie Sitali said, reading out the ruling on behalf of the nine-member court.

The court reaffirmed a 2018 decision that ruled a president is only deemed to have served a term if he is in office for at least three years of the full five-year term.

The landlocked southern African country has enjoyed relative stability since its first multi-party elections in 1991, which ousted the long-running post-independence leader, Kenneth Kaunda.

Struggling with mounting debt and the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, Lungu has been scrambling to boost public support ahead of the August polls, which are for parliament as well as the presidency.