Edgar Lungu to be inaugurated next week

Zambia’s constitutional court on Monday threw out an attempt by the defeated presidential candidate to annul August’s election results, clearing the way for President Edgar Lungu’s inauguration.

Hakainde Hichilema, who lost the election by 200,000 votes, had alleged that the result was rigged and launched a legal bid to stop Lungu retaining power.

Zambia is known for its relative stability, but the run-up to the vote was marked by clashes between supporters of Lungu’s Patriotic Front (PF) and Hichilema’s United Party for National Development

“There is no petition to be heard before this court,” said judge Annie Sitali, ruling that a 14-day deadline for the legal challenge had expired.

Hichilema had argued for an extension after legal arguments lasted until midnight on Friday.

At the court, where hundreds of his supporters gathered on Monday, Hichilema — known as “HH” — gave no immediate reaction to the Judgement.

The official results put Lungu narrowly ahead on 50.35 percent against 47.63 percent for Hichilema among a field of nine candidates — just enough to avoid a second-round run-off.

Lungu, 59, took office only last year when he beat Hichilema in a snap election.

His time in office has been marked by falling prices for copper, the country’s key export, soaring unemployment and inflation rising to over 20 percent.

Following the election, Lungu told Zambians that the new government would tackle the country’s mounting problems.

“For the next five years, it will be total work, there will be no honeymoon,” Lungu told supporters at a rally shortly after the results.

Lungu will be inaugurated next week.