Concern after Lungu party’s seats nullified

LUSAKA: Zambian President Edgar Lungu’s office has expressed concern over the nullification of ruling party parliamentary seats after being petitioned by opposition candidates following the August 11 general elections.

The ruling Patriotic Front (PF) has lost a number of parliamentary seats after the courts ruled in favour of opposition candidates who petitioned the results on allegations of fraud. Those who have lost their seats include two ministers. But presidential spokesman Amos Chanda said the president was concerned over the manner some judges were handling matters of election petitions.

“Judges are members of society, they live within societies. They do not live on Jupiter or Mars. Their actions must be in tune with justice for all. They must not create a situation where the legislature or executive doubts them,” he said on state television, the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation.

He said Lungu did not want the judiciary to be entangled in politics, adding that judges should not be seen to be acting in a partisan manner.

“The courts must stay away from politics. Elections are not won in court. It is in their interest to stay away from politics. Justice must be seen to be done.”

Zambia held general elections on August 11 but the outcome has resulted in petitions of the results from both the ruling and opposition parties.

About 70 petitions were filed in courts after the elections compared with 68 filed after the 2011 elections. On the other hand, the country’s leading opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema also petitioned the presidential results.

Although the petition was thrown out by the Constitutional Court, he is still challenging the matter in court. – Xinhua