Former South African President Jacob Zuma has harshly criticized top judges after being barred from running for parliament.

In his first interview since the ban, Zuma told the BBC that the Constitutional Court was wrong to rule him unfit based on his 2021 contempt of court conviction. At 82, Zuma suggested the constitution should be changed.

Zuma had been campaigning with the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party after leaving the African National Congress (ANC).

The electoral commission, supported by the court, stated that anyone sentenced to over 12 months in prison cannot be a lawmaker.

Zuma, whose sentence was reduced to three months, claimed the judges ignored the people’s will.

Zuma led the ANC from 2009 to 2018 before being ousted over corruption allegations. Despite denying any corruption, he faces a bribery trial next year.

Zuma insists he was wrongly removed as ANC leader and argues the constitution, influenced by European laws, needs revision.

The MK party aims to change the constitution and has gained 8% support in polls, while the ANC is at

40%. If the ANC drops below 50%, it would lose its majority for the first time in 30 years.

Zuma’s MK is popular in his home region of KwaZulu-Natal, where his imprisonment in 2021 led to deadly riots, highlighting his strong support base. He called for peace ahead of the election

Reported by the BBC.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2vvg36jgy9o

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