Zambian leader Edgar Lungu has been re-nominated to run as the Patriotic Front (PF) presidential candidate in 2021, a move that could trigger controversy over his constitutional eligibility to stand, a report says.

According to BBC, the ruling PF's top decision-making body made the decision over the weekend.

Lungu’s critics reportedly believed that he would not be eligible to stand as he had served as president already two times.

The controversial candidacy of Lungu was already in court and was likely to divide both the PF and the country, the report said.

The Zambian constitution does not allow a candidate to serve three terms.

But those in support of Lungu’s candidacy argued that his first term should not count as it was not for the full five years.

Lungu became the country’s president after the death of president Michael Sata in  2014.

He then went on to win the country's election in 2016, defeating his rival Hakainde Hichilema, a wealthy business, who was also the leader of the United Party for National Development (UPND).