Malwa v Mulusa and Electoral Commission of Zambia (Appeal No. 125,141 and 179/2012) [2014] ZMSC 41 (2 July 2014);

SCZ Judgment No. 28 of 2014

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IN THE SUPREME COURT FOR ZAMBIA             Appeals No. 125, 141 and 179 /2012

HOLDEN AT LUSAKA                                                                

(Civil Jurisdiction)

IN THE MATTER OF:          SECTION 72 (1) (a)  OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA

     AND

IN THE MATTER OF:          SECTION 93 (1) OF THE ELECTORAL ACT NO. 12  OF 2006

BETWEEN:

NEWTON MALWA                                                     APPELLANT

  AND

BETWEEN:

SAUL ZULU                                                                APPELLANT

AND

BETWEEN:

DAVIES CHISOPA                                                      APPELLANT

AND

SYDNEY CHISANGA                                         1ST  RESPONDENT

ELECTORAL COMMISSION OF ZAMBIA                2ND  RESPONDENT

Coram:    Mwanamwambwa, Actg D.C.J, Chibomba, Phiri, and Wanki, Muyovwe, J.J.S.,

                    Lisimba, Kaoma, Ag J.J.S.

                                                                On the  3^rd day of July 2014

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For the 1^st Appellants:             1.       Mr. B.C. Mutale, S.C., and with him,

Mr. M.K. Kaunda both of Messrs Ellis and Company.

                                                2.       Mr. A.D. M. Mumba of Messrs. A.D.

                                                          Mwansa Mumba & Associates.

For the 1st Respondents:                   1.       Mr. E. S. Silwamba, S.C. and with

him, Mr. A. J. Jalasi both of Silwamba, Jalasi and Linyama, Legal Practitioners.

                                                2.       Mr. M. Chitambala of Messrs Lukona

                                                          Chambers .

3.       Major C.A. Lisita of Messrs Central Chambers.

For the 2nd Respondent:                             In house Legal Counsel

Mwanamwambwa, Act. D.C.J., delivered the Ruling of the Court

Cases referred to:

1.     Vincent I. Mwale v Eustarkio Kazonga & Another– Appeal No. 123/2012.

2.     Christabel Ngimbu v Charles Kakoma & AnotherAppeal No. 19/2013.

Legislation referred to:

1.     Rules of the Supreme Court, 1999.  Order 4. Rule 9 (1)

Other Works referred to:

1.     Atkin’s Court Forms2^nd Edition.  Volume 37 (1995 Issue), pages 196 and 211.

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On 12^th February 2014, we stayed proceedings in these three motions, until after determination of the two earlier motions, involving Vincent Mwale v Eustarkio Kazonga and Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ)⁽¹⁾and Christabel Ngimbu v Charles Kakoma & ECZ⁽²⁾.   In doing so, we clearly contemplated that the result of the two motions in question would, as test actions, in effect determine the three stayed motions.  We stated that the two heard motions and the three stayed motions, have some common questions of law and facts.  Firstly, all the five motions were made under Article 72 (1) (a)of the Constitutionand Section93 (1)of the Electoral Act, 2006.  Secondly, all the five motions arise from Election Petitions which were decided against each of the 1^st Respondent therein.  Thirdly, they are all, inter alia, seeking to bar the Respondents in question, from recontesting by-elections in the Constituencies concerned.   We ordered the stay of proceedings on the authorities of Order 4, Rule 9 (1)of the Rules of the Supreme Court1999and Atkin’s Court Forms, 2^nd Edition, Volume 37 (1995 Issue), pages 196 and 211.

Today, we have dismissed, for lack of merit, the two motions that were heard on 17^th December 2013.  Since we regarded those two motions as test actions, we hereby similarly dismiss these three motions, for lack of merit.  We order that each party bears its own costs, as these are Constitutional matters.

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M.S. MWANAMWAMBWA

ACTING DEPUTY CHIEF JUSTICE

                H. CHIBOMBA                                                                               G.S. PHIRI

SUPREME COURT JUDGE                                             SUPREME COURT JUDGE

                M.E. WANKI                                                                                     E.C. MUYOVWE

SUPREME COURT JUDGE                                             SUPREME COURT JUDGE

                                M.LISIMBA                                                         R.M. C. KAOMA

ACTG SUPREME COURT JUDGE                     ACTG SUPREME COURT JUDGE