PATRIOTIC Front media director Sunday Chanda says the opposition alliance is being hypocritical by respecting the Constitution Court ruling on former cabinet ministers that stayed in office after dissolution of Parliament in 2016 while showing disdain on President Edgar Lungu’s eligibility.

In a statement, Thursday, Chanda said he expected the opposition alliance to respect every court ruling.

He said President Lungu had always stood for independence of the judiciary and that he would always support constitutional institutions and their rulings.

“We have noted for some time with much disappointment the hypocrisy continuously exhibited by opposition political party leaders over court rulings in this country. The culture these opposition party leaders have developed is one that says “as opposition leaders, we would be above the law and not respect decisions that are seemingly not in our favor and not serving to benefit our causes if we were in power.” This week the Constitutional Court made a ruling over a 4 year old matter concerning the stay of minister in office in 2016. The court ordered that the persons pay back within 30 days what they earned in that period of overstay in office. This was welcomed with much aplomb and applause by the opposition alliance. There is a sudden reverence of the justice system in Zambia by the alliance. The same alliance which showers discredit in disdain on the very Constitutional Court for ruling that President Edgar Lungu is eligible to contest the 2021 elections,” stated Chanda.

“Why should there be double standards? Why should the alliance be double tongued? This is nothing but outright hypocrisy! Zambians are watching and taking note. We expect the alliance to respect every court ruling and come to equity when justice is served. The law should and will always be fairly applied in this country. President Edgar Lungu has always stood for independence of the judiciary and as Head of State, he will always support constitutional institutions and their rulings. To this effect, he has urged all former and current ministers affected by the court ruling to adhere by it and pay back as demanded. We challenge the alliance to stop the culture of political bias and selective adherence to judicial rulings. Their current approach only shows that they would abrogate the constitution if at all they were elected to office. No one is above the law as our Head of State has clearly demonstrated.”