Constitutional Court of Zambia

260 judgments
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260 judgments
Citation
Judgment date
January 2017
11 January 2017
11 January 2017
December 2016
Petitioner failed to prove corrupt practices and widespread effect to void the election; nullification reversed.
Electoral law – election petitions – section 97(2)(a) Electoral Process Act – standard of proof in election petitions (fairly high degree of convincing clarity) – attribution to candidate via appointed election/polling agent or knowledge/consent/approval – hearsay and need for corroboration – effect on majority of voters required to void election – pleadings and failure to file answer.
11 December 2016
November 2016
23 November 2016
Article 118(2)(e) does not abolish procedural rules; sections 207 and 208 remain valid to protect fair trial and truth-finding.
Constitutional interpretation — Article 118(2)(e): undue regard to procedural technicalities — scope and application; Criminal Procedure Code — sections 207 & 208 — order of defence evidence; procedural rules vs technicalities; fair trial and truth-finding.
7 November 2016
October 2016
31 October 2016
September 2016
Whether the Constitutional Court may hear a presidential election petition after the constitutionally mandated 14‑day period expired.
Constitutional law – presidential election petitions – Article 101(5) – mandatory fourteen‑day hearing period – computation of time (Article 269) – no power to enlarge constitutional time limits – dismissal for want of prosecution; dissent: purposive interpretation, implied powers (Article 271), and right to be heard (Article 118).
5 September 2016
August 2016
Court held Vice‑President may remain until inauguration; Ministers and abolished deputy ministers' post‑dissolution tenure was unlawful and refunds ordered.
Constitutional interpretation – dissolution of Parliament – tenure of Vice‑President, Cabinet and Provincial Ministers – abolition and transitional tenure of Deputy Ministers – repayment of emoluments – purposive interpretation to avoid power vacuum.
15 August 2016
Absent formal written notification to the Electoral Commission, media reports and silence do not establish a candidate's resignation under Article 52(6).
Constitutional law – Article 52(6) – Withdrawal or resignation of candidate after close of nominations – Requirement of formal notification to Electoral Commission – Media reports and rumours insufficient – Burden of proof on petitioner.
9 August 2016
July 2016
Article 60(1)(b) and article 266 do not bar political parties from sponsoring candidates for election as councillors.
Constitutional law – interpretation of articles 60(1)(b) and 266 – political parties' right to sponsor candidates – councillors; statutory interpretation – ejusdem generis, expressio unius, purposive vs literal approaches; local government autonomy – does not prohibit party sponsorship; subsidiary legislation challenge moot where repealed; public interest litigation — each party to bear own costs.
16 July 2016