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| (Edgar Lungu) |
Former President Edgar Lungu of Zambia has received a warning from the police regarding his public jogging activities, which they consider to be "political activism." Lungu has been regularly seen jogging with ordinary citizens and supporters of his Patriotic Front (PF) party, attracting attention and speculation about his potential bid for the presidency in 2026.
The police have ordered Lungu to seek their approval for any future jogging events, stating that failure to do so would be a breach of the law and a matter of public safety. They emphasize that any procession involving a former head of state should be conducted with appropriate security measures and devoid of political activism.
Lungu's lawyer, Makebu Zulu, has stated that he will continue jogging without notifying the police and has threatened legal action against the government if Lungu is prevented from exercising on Saturdays. Zulu argues that Lungu's motivation for jogging has never been to contravene the law.
This warning from the police is seen by some commentators as a restriction on the activities of the former president, who served from 2015 to 2021. These commentators suggest that President Hakainde Hichilema's government is utilizing heavy-handed tactics that he himself criticized during his time in opposition.
It is worth noting that Lungu recently took the government to court after being allegedly blocked from traveling to South Korea for a conference, although he later withdrew the case. Additionally, the PF has claimed that Lungu was prevented from traveling for a medical trip despite seeking permission from the cabinet office.
Despite initially stating that he would retire from politics after losing the 2021 election, Lungu has been revitalizing his public profile in recent months. It is widely believed that he intends to run in the elections three years from now, capitalizing on public frustration over rising fuel and food prices.
President Hichilema won the 2021 election with a significant majority, with hopes that he would effectively tackle Zambia's economic challenges. He had previously run for elections five times without success.
The political landscape in Zambia is complex and constantly evolving, with various viewpoints and interests at play. It will be interesting to see how this situation develops and whether Lungu's jogging activities continue to generate discussion and debate in the run-up to the next presidential election.
Source:
- BBC News - "Edgar Lungu: Zambia police warn ex-president over jogging outings"
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