Kalaba, M’membe Add Voices To Third Term Debate

With the controversial Constitution Amendment Bill No.10 defeated by Parliament last week civil society and the opposition have returned to the question of President Lungu’s intentions to run for a third term. 

Earlier this week, Governance, Elections, Advocacy and Research Services (GEARS) Initiative executive director McDonald Chipenzi called on Zambians to throw their efforts behind the new ‘No 3rd Term’ campaign.  

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

President Lungu 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.  

Addressing the matter Socialist Party president Fred M’membe described the third term debate as unnecessary and a waste of time. 

“The third term debate is unnecessary and a waste of time. There’s no room for a third term under the current Constitution of the Republic of Zambia. Put simply, anyone who has been elected to the office of President twice cannot be elected for a third time. This is the way things stand and it needs no further disquisitions,” he stated.

“Those who thought they could change the Constitution through Bill 10 and give themselves a third term of office should simply accept defeat – their game is over,” he continued 

Meanwhile, former minister and president of the opposition Democratic Party (DP) Harry Kalaba has said that if President loves Zambians and peace that he must not even think of standing in the 2021 polls. 

“He doesn’t qualify! It’s as simple as that. He doesn’t qualify at all and he knows it deep down his heart of hearts. Yes, he will be challenged in court but also the public must know that he doesn’t qualify,” Kalaba by The Mast is quoted as stating. 

Kalaba further stated that to allow President Lungu to stand a third time would be a “mutilation”, “an assault on our Constitution, which we all must abide by.” 

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.