A full bench of the Constitutional Court has dismissed a renewed application seeking conservatory relief following the declaration of the Chawama parliamentary seat as vacant.
In the matter, constitutional lawyer Tresford Chali petitioned the court to stay the ruling by Speaker of the National Assembly Nelly Mutti, who declared the Chawama seat vacant after determining that the Member of Parliament had breached Article 72 of the Constitution of Zambia.
Mr. Chali argued that the Speaker erred in law when she declared the seat, which was previously held by Tasila Lungu, vacant.
However, on 4th December 2025, a single judge declined to grant the stay. The decision has now been upheld by a full bench comprising Judges Arnold Shilimi, Mathew Musunka, Judy Mulongoti, Mudford Mwendanga, and Kenneth Mulife.
The judges ruled that the matter will proceed to be heard on its merits, effectively dismissing the application for conservatory relief.
Following the declaration, the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has set 16th December 2025 as the nomination date, with the by-election scheduled for 15th January 2025.
Tasila Lungu has been absent from Parliament for over six months, a development linked to the prolonged standoff surrounding the burial of her father, Zambia’s Sixth Republican President, Edgar Lungu.
By Cecilia Kayaya, Mporokoso
