Legal battle over ex-President Lungu’s eligibility for 2026 elections rages. Here’s what we know so far

The Constitutional Court has been asked to set aside the answer filed by ex-President Edgar Lungu, in a matter challenging his eligibility to stand for future elections.

The petitioner, Michelo Chizombe, submitted that the purported answer by Lungu does not respond to the petition.

Chizombe had asked the Court to revisit its ruling by declaring that the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) contravened the constitution when it accepted Lungu’s nomination papers and included him on the ballot.

He further sought a declaration that the respondent (Lungu) was not eligible to contest a presidential election under the current Constitution as read with the now repealed 1991 Constitution (as amended).

In response, Lungu argued that the majority judgement ruled in his favour, that he had not served two terms as alleged by the Petitioner

Chizombe in an affidavit in support sworn by his lawyer, Micheal Moono, said that Lungu was responding to the paragraphs contained in the skeleton arguments and not in the petition.

“In the current circumstances, there is no answer by the first respondent that joins issue with the petition. The purported answer by the first respondent does not comply with order 4 rule 4 of the Constitutional Court rules and must be set aside,” he said.

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