RAINBOW Party leader Wynter Kabimba says President Edgar Lungu qualifies to re-contest the 2021 general elections because the Amended Constitution allows him to contest for a third term.

But political analyst Dr Alex Ngoma has advised politicians to respect the Constitution.

Yesterday, January 5, 2017, President Lungu said he would stand in 2021, a pronouncement which was received with mixed feelings.

“I read the Constitution yesterday, I am eligible for 2021. If you want you can go to the Constitutional Court. I am eligible to stand for elections in 2021 and God willing if I am around, if I am still alive, I will stand,” said President Lungu.

But Kabimba, who is also former justice minister, said the Amended Constitution was clear that President Lungu qualified to re-contest in 2021.

“In terms of a third term, yes he qualifies if you look at the Constitution, if you want to look at the Constitution go to Constitution Amendment number 2 of 2016 you will find a clause there; it is very clear,” Kabimba said.

He however wondered whether the PF central committee had unanimously agreed that when they go for a conference in 2020, they would elect President Lungu as their candidate for the 2021 polls.

“The PF is supposed to go for a general conference in 2020, I don’t know myself whether or not the central committee of Patriotic Front had sat and decided that when they go for a general conference in 2020, their candidate would be President Edgar Lungu that’s an internal affair of the party all I know is that there is a general conference of the Patriotic Front in 2020 during which period they are supposed to elect a party president who is also going to be the presidential candidate,” said Kabimba.

But Dr Ng’oma has advised political party leaders to respect the Constitution for the sake of peace and unity in the country.

He stated that if the Republican Constitution did not allow President Lungu to stand again, it would be wrong for him to do so and risked destabilizing Zambia’s peace and democracy.