FOUR opposition political parties that supported President Edgar Lungu’s candidature during last August general elections have petitioned the Constitutional Court asking it to declare him eligible to contest in 2021.

In a petition filed in the ConCourt yesterday, the party leaders; Daniel Pule of Christian Democratic Party, Wright Musoma of Zambia Republican Party, New Congress party leader Peter Chanda and Robert Mwanza from the Citizens Democratic Party, sought determination of the tenure of office and eligibility of President Lungu to stand as presidential candidate in the 2021 general elections.

The petitioners stated that they wanted the ConCourt to interpret Article 106 (1), (3) and (6) of the Constitution of Zambia (amendment) number 2 of 2016.

The party leaders stated that President Lungu was eligible to contest the 2021 presidential election because was currently serving his first term of office.

They availed that it was their belief that when elected again, it would constitute President Lungu’s second and final term of office.

Pule and others further stated that President Lungu’s first election of January 20, 2015 did not constitute a term of office having served as president for less than three years.

They submitted that the current Head of State was sworn in as sixth President of Zambia for a term of five years pursuant to Article 106 (1) of the constitution of Zambia (amendment) Act.