HH eligible to contest 2016 presidential election under UPND

By CHARITY MOONGA and JULIUS PHIRI –

UNITED Party for National Development (UPND) legal chairperson Jack Mwiimbu has said that party president Hakainde Hichilema is eligible to contest the 2016 presidential election under that party.
Mr Mwiimbu said in a statement that the UPND constitution allowed Mr Hichilema to stand on the party ticket.
According to Article 79 of the UPND manifesto, “A party president shall be eligible for election for an indefinite period subject to the constitution, provided that a party president who is elected Republican president shall only serve two terms that shall run concurrently with the term of office as president.”
Mr Mwiimbu said according to the UPND constitution, Mr Hichilema was qualified to be party president and contest the next presidential election.
Meanwhile, Mr Hichilema has urged his supporters to keep the hope alive for 2016.
Mr Hichilema said in a Press release yesterday that the UPND was encouraged with the support it received from citizens and supporters home and abroad on the commitment for a peaceful, united and better Zambia.
“I want to assure all our supporters that the dream for a better Zambia has just been deferred to 2016 and we must keep the hope alive for the sake of the majority Zambians,” he said.
Mr Hichilema said he was aware that a number of UPND supporters across the country were going through the worst form of humiliation, hate speech and intimidation.
He insisted that UPND members must remain calm and peaceful despite the amount of provocation.

Times of Zambia