Zambia Court Bars Edgar Lungu from Elections

Zambia's Constitutional Court has ruled that former President Edgar Lungu is ineligible to run for future presidential elections, confirming that his time in office constitutes two full terms as stipulated by the constitution. This landmark decision, delivered on Tuesday, clarifies that Lungu's initial term from 2015 to 2016, following the death of President Michael Sata, counts as a complete term, thus barring him from contesting the 2026 elections. The ruling has sparked mixed reactions across the nation, with some expressing relief while others voice outrage. The court acknowledged previous legal oversights regarding Lungu's candidacy in the 2021 elections but affirmed that those elections remain valid. Lungu criticized the ruling as a political maneuver by the current administration to sideline him, citing it as a tactic to avoid direct electoral competition. The decision reinforces constitutional limits on presidential terms in Zambia.