ZAMBIAN OPPOSITION ASKS COURT TO BLOCK RUPIAH BANDA’S PRESIDENTIAL ASPIRATIONS

The Patriotic Front –PF- has applied to the Lusaka high court to block President Rupiah Banda from contesting in the 20^th September general elections.

According the documents filed in the Lusaka high court, the opposition party is accusing President Banda of lying about his parents' nationality.

The constitution requires both parents of presidential aspirants to be born in Zambia.

But in documents filed in court, PF Secretary General, Wynter Kabimba says Mr Banda's parents were born in Malawi.

The PF is claiming a declaratory judgment or order that Mr Banda’s parents Banda are not citizens of Zambia by birth therefore his ineligibility to be a candidate.

Mr Kabimba has stated that in the last election, Mr Banda swore under oath that both his parents were born in Chipata, a town near the Malawi border.

He has further said that the PF now believes that Mr Banda lied, and it wants the court to rule on the matter.

But state house has questioned why the opposition did not challenge Mr Banda's candidature in 2008, when he won a special election following the death of President Levy Mwanawasa.

Mr Banda has set 20^th September as the date for the general elections and the PF President, Michael Sata is his main challenger in the race.