290 ViewsA founding member of the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND), Charles Longwe, has petitioned the Constitutional Court seeking the disqualification of President Hakainde Hichilema from contesting the August 13, 2026 general elections. According to a 24-page petition seen by Zambian Eye and filed today at the expiry of the seven-day constitutional period […]

290 Views

Charles Longwe

A founding member of the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND), Charles Longwe, has petitioned the Constitutional Court seeking the disqualification of President Hakainde Hichilema from contesting the August 13, 2026 general elections.

According to a 24-page petition seen by Zambian Eye and filed today at the expiry of the seven-day constitutional period allowed for challenging presidential nominations after filing in, Longwe argues that the UPND is allegedly operating outside its constitutional mandate after failing to hold valid intra-party elections. President Hakainde Hichilema filed his presidential nomination last Friday.

Longwe, who identifies himself as a founding member of the UPND, claims that the party has not conducted regular and lawful internal elections since 2006 and that the mandate of the current leadership expired in February 2026.

The petition therefore seeks the intervention of the Constitutional Court to determine the legality of President Hichilema’s nomination as the UPND presidential candidate for the 2026 general elections.

In the petition, Longwe argues that the alleged failure by the party to hold elective conventions and renew its leadership structures is contrary to both the Republican Constitution and the provisions governing political parties.

He further contends that any nomination arising from what he terms an expired and improperly constituted party leadership is invalid and unconstitutional.

The development opens a fresh legal and political battle for the ruling party at a critical moment as the country heads towards the August elections.

President Hichilema, who is seeking a second and final term of office, was recently adopted unopposed by the UPND during the party’s adoption process.

The petition now places the Constitutional Court under fresh spotlight on whether internal party disputes and alleged procedural irregularities can affect the eligibility of a presidential candidate already adopted by a political party.

Legal analysts say the matter could raise broader constitutional questions on internal democracy within political parties and whether failure to regularly hold conventions can invalidate party decisions and nominations.

However, constitutional lawyers also observe that courts in Zambia have traditionally been reluctant to interfere deeply in internal political party processes unless there is a clear constitutional breach affecting national electoral processes.

If the Constitutional Court were to entertain the matter and rule in favour of the petitioner, the implications could be significant not only for President Hichilema but also for the UPND’s entire electoral participation structure.

The petition comes at a politically sensitive time when several opposition political parties are themselves battling internal wrangles, leadership disputes and court cases ahead of the nominations and campaigns.

By press time, neither the UPND nor State House had officially responded to the petition.

President Hichilema and the ruling party are however expected to strongly oppose the action, with party insiders describing the petition as politically motivated and intended to disrupt the party ahead of the elections.

The Constitutional Court is now expected to determine whether the matter raises substantial constitutional questions deserving urgent hearing before the August 13 polls.