Govt reiterates why ex-President Lungu will no longer be treated as special

State House Communications Specialist, Clayson Hamasaka, says the consequences of ex-President Edgar Lungu’s decision to return to active politics would have to follow as dictated by the Constitution.

Commenting on Lungu forgoing his pension benefits, Hamasaka said the law was crystal clear about an ex-President remaining in active politics.

Hamasaka told journalists on Sunday that since Lungu had come out in the open to say that he was in politics, the consequences of his decision would have to follow as dictated by the Constitution.

“He has sacrificed his pension but those are the things that go with such decisions.

It is his choice (to forgo his pension). The law is very clear when one takes such kind of a decision,” Hamasaka said.

On Saturday, while celebrating the ninth memorial of ex-President Michael Sata’s death at Embassy Park, Lungu announced his return to active politics to save the Patriotic Front (PF) from being annihilated.

This came after expelled Matero Member of Parliament, Miles Sampa, staged a coup against his own leadership and installed himself as leader of the opposition party.

Former President Lungu had also declared that he would not allow the former ruling party to be killed but ensure smooth transition for the election of the new leadership in the party.

“I am back to active politics as PF president elected in 2021 with a mandate up to 2026. The PF will hold a general conference at the right time to choose a leader before the next elections in 2026. After this conference, I will handover to whoever will be elected to lead the PF in the 2026 general elections,” he said.

The former president said he was ready to face any manner of consequences for his decision to protect the PF which in the last four days had seen attempts by Sampa stage a “coup” against his own leadership.

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