Edgar Chagwa Lungu’s unfair defeat complaint worries CLRI’s Mundia Paul Hakoola

By Derrick Sinjela

CONTINENTAL Leadership Research Institute (CLRI) Executive Director Mundia Paul Hakoola says a rigging complaint attributed to Dr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu is an undemocratic stance.

Mr. Hakoola is aggrieved that hearing excuses from a sitting Head of State and Government that the Thursday 12th August, 2021 Presidential, Parliamentary and Local Government elections were not conducted in a free, fair and credible manner raise more eyebrows than outright answers.

In a Saturday 14th August, 2021 Press Statement after Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations, Mr. Issac Chipampe had issued a Dr. Lungu’s complaint, Mr. Hakoola expressed disappointment that the ‘rushed grievance’ eroded the democratic process in Zambia.

“Our view as Continental Leadership Research Institute is that excuses by a Sitting Head of State to declare that elections are not free and fair is actually a disappointment to the democratic process. What we expect from the President is that if he or she sees that the process is flawed, having been in charge and held confidence of the governance and electoral system, a prudent action would have been to initially concede defeat and not to blame the process of the electoral system,” advised Hakoola.

President Edgar Chagwa Lungu and Presidential Affairs Minister Freedom Sikazwe on Friday 30th October 2020

The Continental Leadership Research Institute Executive Director reminded Dr. Lungu that as a lawyer, he (ECL) is more aware than most Zambian Citizens that it is only after the result is declared that he can petition the outcome.

“As a lawyer, he is well aware that it is only after the results are declared that one has a constitutional right to challenge the declaration of the election to the Office of the President.To us as Continental Leadership Research Institute, it is not at this particular time that he can be able to cry foul, let President Lungu wait for the entire process as even the other colleagues from the opposition conceded and are patiently waiting for final results to be certified and publushed for them to cry either foul that this process has not been free and fair,” noted Hakoola.

Hakoola pointed out that the only person and avenue existing in Zambia to hear Dr. Lungu and Patriotic Front (PF) Secretary General Davis Mwila’s electoral grievance is the Constitutional Court.

“It is only the Constitutional Court that can hear Dr. Lungu’s and Mr. Mwila’s complaint, as it is premature to raise such a grievance before the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) had announced certified results,” said Hakoola.

Hakoola insisted that as things stood it is premature for the PF leadership, Dr. Lungu and Mwila to raise an electoral fraud grievance before an outright winner is declared.

“Dr. Lungu and Mr. Mwila should have waited for the electoral body to declare a winner, before writing to the Constitutional Court for the matter at hand to be heard. Right now, anyone who cries foul has to wait for the ECZ to declare the result, for an electoral complaint to be heard within the established timeframe,” admonished Hakoola.

Patriotic Front (PF) SG Davies Mwila, PF Deputy SG Mumbi Phiri and Defence Minister Davies Chama at Prof Kalombo Thomson Mwansa at the Anglican Cathedral mass Thursday 19 March 2020 – Picture b Derrick Sinjela