Former President Edgar Chagwa Lungu has expressed grave concern over what he calls an attack on Zambia’s democracy and judiciary by the current government under President Hakainde Hichilema. Speaking out against recent legal actions seeking to overturn a 2020 Constitutional Court ruling, Dr. Lungu urged Zambians to stand up for the nation’s constitutional principles and judicial independence.
In his remarks, Dr. Lungu recalled a 2016 case during his presidency when then-opposition leader Hichilema and others challenged the legality of cabinet ministers remaining in office after Parliament was dissolved. The Constitutional Court ruled in favor of Hichilema, ordering ministers to vacate their positions three months before national elections to ensure fairness. Dr. Lungu’s administration complied, with ministers refunding the payments they had received during this period. He emphasized that the ruling was respected as it aimed to ensure a level political playing field.
However, Dr. Lungu expressed disappointment over a recent legal challenge by a Lusaka lawyer aiming to reverse the 2020 ruling. He described the move as a proxy effort by the government to undermine the judiciary and erode Zambia’s democratic foundations. “This is a shocking and disappointing gesture, which represents an assault on our judiciary, democracy, and constitutionalism,” Dr. Lungu said.
The former president also drew parallels between this latest legal challenge and the December 10, 2024, Constitutional Court ruling that barred him from contesting the 2026 elections. He warned that these actions signal an erosion of judicial independence and a dangerous trend of weakening Zambia’s democratic institutions for short-term political gain.
Dr. Lungu called on all Zambians to actively defend the country’s democracy, urging peaceful demonstrations and legal means to oppose the challenge. “When you remain silent in the face of injustice, democracy suffers,” he warned, rallying citizens to protect the nation’s hard-earned democratic values.
