GEARS Mobilises To Prevent Third Lungu Term

The Governance, Elections, Advocacy and Research Services (GEARS) Initiative Zambia says it has turned its attentions to preventing a third term in office for President Edgar Lungu.

With Bill 10 now defeated, GEARS executive director McDonald Chipenzi called on Zambians to throw their efforts behind the new ‘No 3rd Term’ campaign. 

“This will be an unstoppable political and electoral cyclone that may have devastating effects on those who would want to stand against its tide. The collective wisdom of the Zambians cannot be pacified and manipulated by those who have tasted the sweet of power, not for serving people but to continue plundering and looting public resources,” Chipenzi said in a statement to the Mast newspaper. 

Although President Lungu has only been in power for five years, he has been sworn into the presidency twice: once in 2015 and again in 2016. This has prompted some experts, including constitutional lawyer John Sangwa, to challenge the validity of Lungu’s 2021 presidential bid since the constitution only allows a maximum of two terms in office. 

Mr Chipenzi has called on politicians, civil society organisations and Zambian citizens to mobilise in their opposition to a third term similar to how they worked to defeat Bill 10. 

“We shall organise, galvanise against and decampaign 3rd term manoeuvres, the way we organised, campaigned and defeated Bill 10,” he vowed.

On Monday, Justice Minister Given Lubinda asserted that President Lungu was eligible to at least register for next year’s elections, clarifying that the presidential nomination form does not contain any provisions relating to previous election victories.

“The form does not in any way contain a requirement for a presidential candidate to declare that he or she was twice elected as president. The form requires a presidential candidate to declare their nationality, nominations, academic paper, and attach other relevant proof of citizenship,” he said.