SPECIAL Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations Isaac Chipampe says when the time comes, President Edgar Lungu will go ahead to file his nomination and let the court do what it does.
In an interview, Wednesday, Chipampe said Lungu’s eligibility was a beaten path and that people who were concerned should “bite their tongue” and wait for the appropriate time to file their petition.
“This is now a beaten path, you know you cannot continue talking about the same issue over and over again. There are people who are saying they will go to court when the President files in his nomination. They have said a lot of things, so since they have said all that they should go ahead and do what they want to do, why can’t we just wait until that day arrives instead of just talking about the same thing over and over again. ‘No he doesn’t qualify, no he doesn’t qualify’, why don’t you just do what you want to do. You cannot have the same narrative, because now everyone will suspect that there is something behind all this. So me I won’t go into the details okay, the President will go ahead and file his nomination that’s it! Those who want to do what they want to do they will do what they want to do. The courts will do what they do, the courts will also perform their duties. The eligibility case is a beaten path!” Chipampe said.
“So, even you as journalists, I think there are other stories you can cover instead of now it is the same issue, people will be so bored and tired. Me I am a journalist, I know how the audience takes things, sometimes we underrate the people of Zambia. Feeding them with all sought of same information over and over again, until they start suspecting that there is some narrative we are trying to create . Surely same sources, are you telling me in Zambia we only have five people who can talk? I haven’t seen the newspaper today, but I even know who is being quoted. So that is how bored we are. Me, I want to improve the performance of the media in Zambia. That is why sometimes the President is called all sorts of names and accused of all sorts of things, we just look at, anyway it is freedom of expression. We should help ourselves and we should not be used by sources. Let us do professional jobs! There are a lot of other issues. If you want you can come and discuss the issues that need covering as well and people are crying to have that kind of information, but we tend to give them the same things, eligibility everyday. If people are concerned they should just bite their tongue, wait for the appropriate time which you said you will file in. And let the judges do their job.”
And Chipampe said President Lungu respected and would not interfere in the work of the Judiciary.
“The President respects the judges, have you ever heard the President disparaging the judges? He does respect separation of power. The President respects the Judiciary, the President respects the Legislature that’s all. He doesn’t interfere in their work,” said Chipampe.
