🇿🇲 BRIEFING | Hichilema’s 2026 Candidature Heads to Constitutional Court
A major legal challenge targeting President Hakainde Hichilema’s participation in the August 13 General Election is set to come before the full bench of the Constitutional Court on June 19, placing one of the country’s most closely watched pre-election disputes under judicial scrutiny.
The petition has been filed by UPND founding member Charles Longwe, who is challenging the validity of President Hichilema’s nomination as the ruling party’s presidential candidate.
At the centre of the case is an argument that the UPND allegedly did not hold a valid party convention before nominating President Hichilema on May 22, 2026, raising questions about compliance with internal party procedures and constitutional requirements.
Following a scheduling conference held in chambers on Monday, State Counsel Mulambo Haimbe, representing President Hichilema, confirmed that the Constitutional Court had fixed June 19 as the hearing date.
Another member of the President’s legal team, Michael Moono, indicated that the court is expected to provide guidance on when judgment will be delivered after hearing arguments from both sides.
Meanwhile, petitioner Charles Longwe’s lawyer, Benjamin Mwelwa, confirmed that the scheduling conference took place before Constitutional Court Judge Martin Musaluke.
The case now moves into a decisive phase at a time when Zambia’s electoral calendar is accelerating and presidential campaigns are gathering momentum across the country.
While legal experts note that internal party nomination disputes rarely overturn presidential candidatures once the electoral process is underway, the petition nevertheless introduces another layer of political and legal intrigue into an already high-stakes election season.
For now, all eyes shift to June 19, when the Constitutional Court will hear arguments in a case that touches not only on President Hichilema’s candidature, but also on the broader relationship between party processes, constitutional compliance, and electoral legitimacy.
—For story tips, opinion submissions, advertising, partnerships, or corrections:
📩 editor.peoplesbrief@gmail.com
Strong journalism depends on informed readers, trusted partners, and community support.
© The People’s Brief | Ollus R. Ndomu
Verified. Contextual. Independent.
