Zambia:President sacks top 3 Judges for ruling in rival's favour
By DL News
Published
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The judges, who served on the Constitutional Court, were involved in a 2016 presidential petition where they ruled against Hichilema’s challenge of then-President Edgar Lungu's election victory.
Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema has dismissed three top judges, following their suspension due to accusations of judicial misconduct, sparking renewed concerns about political interference in the country’s judiciary.
The judges, who served on the Constitutional Court, were involved in a 2016 presidential petition where they ruled against Hichilema’s challenge of then-President Edgar Lungu's election victory. They also participated in a contentious decision that allowed Lungu to run for the 2021 elections, despite having already served two terms.
Their removal comes after a failed court bid to overturn a judicial panel's recommendation for their suspension. A statement from the president’s office, released on Sunday, confirmed their dismissal "with immediate effect," based on advice from the Judicial Complaints Commission (JCC). The decision, according to the statement, was made under the authority granted to the president by the Zambian constitution.
The judges in question—Justice Annie Sitali, Justice Mungeni Mulenga, and Justice Palan Mulonda—have yet to comment publicly on the matter.
The JCC investigated the judges after a private citizen, Moses Kalonde, accused them of gross misconduct. This follows an earlier complaint filed by lawyer Joseph Busenga, who argued that the judges mishandled the 2016 election case. However, the JCC dismissed Busenga’s complaint at the time.
Reactions to the judges' dismissal have been mixed. With Zambia set to hold elections in 2026, where Hichilema and Lungu are likely to face off for a fourth time, political tensions are running high. Commentator Laura Miti notes that public opinion is divided, with some viewing the move as a legitimate legal action and others seeing it as a politically motivated act of revenge by the president.
Political analyst Sishuwa Sishuwa has criticized the current system of judicial appointments, which gives the executive significant control. He argued that this issue will persist regardless of who holds power, calling for a more comprehensive and impartial approach to judicial reforms.
