Constitutional Court of Zambia - 2023 October

6 judgments
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Results. 6 judgments found.

6 judgments
October 2023
Appeal dismissed: isolated incidents of violence and intimidation were not proven to have prevented the majority from choosing their preferred candidate.
  • Electoral law — nullification threshold under s.97(2) EPA — misconduct by candidate or with agent's consent and requirement that misconduct be widespread enough to have prevented majority voters choosing preferred candidate — proof to convincing clarity.
27 October 2023
Section 30 CCA is constitutional; costs in constitutional litigation may be awarded only for frivolous, vexatious, or abusive conduct.
  • Constitutional law — costs — s.30 Constitutional Court Act — judicial discretion to award costs — constitutional and public interest litigation — caution in awarding costs — factors: frivolous/vexatious, abuse of process, conduct of parties and counsel — need for procedural rules.
27 October 2023
Whether the JCC can investigate pre-appointment misconduct and whether failure to follow Article 144 suspension procedure nullifies removal.
  • Constitutional law — Judicial Complaints Commission jurisdiction over pre-appointment conduct; Article 143/144 removal procedure — mandatory requirement to report prima facie case and suspend judge; Article 266 — gross misconduct includes corruption; procedural irregularity not remedied where substantive outcome established; relief refused as futile.
26 October 2023
An allegation that a person’s conduct contravenes the Constitution must be commenced by petition; originating summons was unsuitable and dismissed.
  • Constitutional procedure — Mode of commencement — Article 128(1)(a),(b) and 128(3)(c) — Petition required where an act by a person is alleged to contravene the Constitution — Originating summons appropriate only for non‑contentious, general constitutional interpretation.
26 October 2023
Constitutional Court lacks jurisdiction over redundancy-related salary and damages claims; Industrial Relations Division is competent.
  • Constitutional jurisdiction — Article 128 — interpretation of the Constitution versus employment disputes — redundancy and pension retention on payroll — Industrial Relations Division competent to grant employment remedies.
26 October 2023
A district council election can only be annulled by a petition founded on Section 97 of the Electoral Process Act.
  • Electoral law — Local government election petitions — Section 97 Electoral Process Act as the sole statutory basis to challenge and annul council chairperson elections — competence of petitions — petitions not grounded in s.97 are incompetent.
2 October 2023