Zambia’s constitutional court has ruled that former President Edgar Lungu is ineligible to contest future presidential elections, declaring his first stint at the helm of the country’s affairs from 2015 to 2016 as a full term. Lungu was then elected to a full presidential term in the 2016 elections before losing the presidency to the incumbent president, Hakainde Hichilema, in the 2021 national elections. Lungu announced his return to active politics in 2023 following the arrest of several family members, including his wife, on allegations of involvement in illicit financial activities. However, the court’s judgment that he has already been elected twice makes him constitutionally barred from seeking office again. The Patriotic Front (PF) party, to which Lungu belongs, expressed concerns over the ruling and is reviewing its next steps in response to the verdict.
SOURCE: REUTERS
