The Lusaka High Court has ruled that Jervis Zimba must vacate the presidency of the Zambia National Farmers’ Union (ZNFU) with immediate effect.
Additionally, the court has canceled a special council meeting that was set to take place on Thursday.
High Court Judge Gaudentia Salasini issued the order through an interim injunction dated March 11, 2025, in response to a case brought by Joseph Mungandi, the immediate past vice president of ZNFU.
The court has also scheduled an inter partes hearing on the interlocutory injunction for March 26, 2025.
According to the injunction, the special meeting planned for March 13, 2025, in Lusaka is canceled and Zimba has been restrained from performing any duties or holding the office of ZNFU president.
In the main case, Mungandi is seeking a court declaration that Zimba’s continued stay in office is unconstitutional and unlawful.
He is also requesting an order compelling Zimba to step down, a ruling that he is ineligible for future elections, and an interim injunction preventing ZNFU from recognising him as president.
Mungandi’s explained that in 2018, the ZNFU Council amended Article 11(2) of its constitution, limiting the president’s tenure to two terms of three years each. Zimba was first elected in 2018, serving his first term from 2018 to 2021 and a second term from 2022 to 2024.
However, ZNFU trustees, including Graham Mulders, argue that the COVID-19 pandemic led to a postponement of elections, effectively extending Zimba’s term until 2025.
They contend that a board resolution in June 2020 deferred all elections by a year due to government restrictions on gatherings.
Mungandi disputed this interpretation, asserting that the postponement did not legally alter the presidential term limits outlined in the constitution.
He argued that Zimba’s continued tenure beyond 2024 is unconstitutional.
Despite multiple requests for Zimba to step down, Mungandi claimed the defendants have refused to comply, prompting the legal challenge.
