…says every Zambian that loves democracy should defend Lungu’s right to stand in 2026 if he decides to because the constitutional court stated that he’s eligible to stand.
Lusaka, Sept. 15 – From their narrative on the need to uphold the tenets of democracy in Zimbabwe, one would expect President Hichilema and opposition MMD President, Dr. Nevers Mumba, to be true champions of democracy back home in Zambia but the story is way different on the ground.
Also Read: The Moral Paradox: Dr. Mumba’s hypocrisy exposed amidst electoral violations.
Constitutional Lawyer John Sangwa has outrightly spoken against the events that happened during the Kwacha and Kabushi by-elections stating that the seats were literally stolen.
“Now the events that happened to the Kwaacha and Kabushi constituencies were against all known principles of democracy, and that was not a very good development to our democracy in the last two years. Those seats were literally stolen!” Sangwa lamented.
He further commented on the recent outbursts by President Hichilema which he termed as “a worrying development!”
“First of all, that language is completely unpresidential, very, very unpresidential. And secondly, the President had absolutely no right to say those things. It shouldn’t have happened,” Sangwa reiterated.
The Constitutional Lawyer was referring to President Hichilema’s threats to squeeze the neck of the former Head of State, Mr. Edgar Lungu, should he decide to stand in 2026.
“Those are very unfortunate things. The fact remains that President Lungu is eligible to stand in 2026. That’s the law, and according to the decision of the Constitutional Court, he’s eligible to stand,” Sangwa emphasised.
He said it’s Edgar Lungu’s right and that everybody, President Hichilema included, must defend Lungu’s right to stand should he decide to.
“We have an obligation, each and every person, each and every Zambian that loves democracy to defend his right to stand in 2026. That’s democracy. You don’t threaten anybody who wants to contest the election, no matter how much you feel, because nobody owns this country. The President is not John Cecil Rhodes, and UPND is not the BSA company,” Sangwa illustrated.
He was referring to a British mining magnate and politician, Cecil John Rhodes who, together with his British South Africa Company (BSA) ruled over Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe and Zambia, a territory that was named after him in 1895. Sangwa reminded the new dawn government that Zambia is now a different story altogether.
“This is a sovereign, independent, Republican Zambia. And we collectively own this country. We have laws. But these are very bad indicators that have happened in the last two years!” he repeated.
To make well-informed and thoughtful decisions, one must be able to see things from perspectives other than one’s own. Gain new perspectives by following Woodpecker’s Digest! Reading does open up a world of possibilities.
©2023 Woodpecker’s Digest.
Putting news into perspective
It was another type of democracy which you don’t know. Some people thought they are Bulldozers they learnt a lesson. There are many types of Democracies in Africa depending on the political environment.