PF’s patience with ConCourt running out – Dora

File: Dora Siliya addresses the crowd flanked by Edgar Lungu

Former Energy Minister Dora Siliya has charged that her party the Patriotic Front’s patience to wait for more days even when the 14 days in which the Constitutional Court must sit is running out.

The constitutional Court gave United Party for National Development (UPND) leader Hakainde Hichilema up to Monday in which he can look for lawyers after he was ‘abandoned’ by his legal team. This is in a case where UPND has challenged the election of Edgar Lungu.

But Siliya took to social media after the Constitutional Court ruled that the presidential hearing be extended to Monday next week and condemned the court’s decision.

The newly-elected Petauke Central PF MP, who herself has had her victory petitioned, said on her Facebook page that the constitutional court is now taking the PF and Zambians for granted.

She accused the court of breaking its own rules by having extended the hearing beyond the 14-day period.

“We will all wake up tomorrow wondering what happened. Even the Constitutional Court is breaking the very law it was meant to uphold,” Siliya wrote.

“This very Court ruled that 14 days was just that. It’s like filling in for nominations. If you are not ready whether you have funeral or illness law says that particular day. So in what way did court decide to postpone to Monday. Not even Saturday morning in the least.”

She accused the petitioners led by Hichilema of having used the oldest trick by pretending that he had no lawyers.

“The point is that his big team of lawyers failed to prepare a good case knowing fully well that case was time bound,” she said.

“My view is that the PF is being taken for granted. But most of all the People of Zambia. We heard EL (President Lungu) call to be peaceful but our patience is running out. Courts can’t make Presidents. It’s the People no wonder the saying Vox Populi Vox Dei. This ruling is very strange and sets a dangerous precedent.”