The United Party for National Development (UPND) deputy Secretary General, Gertrude Imenda, has confidently stated that the party would still have defeated former President Edgar Lungu in the 2026 general elections, even if the Constitutional Court had ruled that he was eligible to stand for the election.
The Constitutional Court today ruled that former President Edgar Chagwa Lungu was not eligible to contest the 2026 and future Presidential Elections.
Delivering the judgment, which was televised live, the Court ruled that Mr. Lungu had previously been elected and held office twice, in 2015 to 2016, which also counts as a term, and from 2016 to 2021.
The court referred to sections two and seven of the 2016 Constitution Act, Article 106 sub-article three, and Article 35 sub-articles two of the 1996 Constitution.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Zambia Reports, Ms. Imenda said that the ruling was not only in the interest of the UPND but also the citizens, who are an integral part of the country.
“The whole Zambia was interested, those for, those against, and things like that. The court’s ruling did not affect the party’s chances of winning. No, we were already going to win,” she said.
Ms. Imenda noted that the law’s interpretation was correct, and the court interpreted it as it should.
However, she stressed that whether the court ruled in favor of Mr. Lungu or not, it wouldn’t have made a difference to the UPND.
“For us, it doesn’t make any difference whether the court was going to say he is eligible to stand or as they’ve said that he is not eligible,” she said.
She expressed confidence that even if Mr. Lungu was allowed to stand, the UPND would still have defeated him due to his administration’s track record of alleged illegalities, law-breaking, violence, and economic mismanagement.
“We have something that he failed to do, and we know that his rule was marked by a lot of illegalities, law-breaking, violence, and economic mismanagement and things like that,” she said.
She also said that the UPND has made efforts to rebuild in three and a half years what the Patriotic Front (PF) destroyed in their seven-year tenure.
“What they destroyed in the seven years of his rule is what we are rebuilding. What we have rebuilt within the three and a half years so far is remarkable,” she said.
“I’m neither celebrating nor regretting. You know what’s important is that justice has been shown in the right way,” she said.
Ms. Imenda also noted that the Constitution is clear on the maximum 10-year mandate for a president, and allowing Lungu to stand would have set a dangerous precedent.
“The Constitution is very clear. Has this person been elected twice? Yes. Sworn in twice? Yes. So if you allow him to be eligible this time, and suppose he wins, he will have more than the 10-year maximum mandate. He will go to 12 years, which is against the law. The law says he can’t go beyond 10 years, but he can serve for less, like he did,” she concluded.
