WHAT EXACTLY DID BILL 7 CHANGE?
Before the 2025 Constitutional Amendment, Article 52(6) provided for the cancellation of an election and fresh nominations in specified circumstances where a candidate resigned after nominations had closed but before polling day.
This provision helped protect political parties from losing their adopted candidates after nominations and gave voters an opportunity to retain competing alternatives.
However, Bill 7 changed this position.
Under the amended provision, a candidate who withdraws after nomination becomes ineligible to contest, but the election proceeds on the scheduled date.
The consequence?
An election can now proceed even when competing candidates withdraw, potentially leaving voters with only one candidate on the ballot.
That is the constitutional dilemma currently facing Mandevu.
Hon. Given Lubinda
Bo Lubinda, the change in Bill 7 now avoids an endless situation where nominated candidates keeps resigning just before elections. Why should a political party and their nominated candidates who were prepared to compete be denied the position they competed for just because a nominated candidate by a political party decides to resign. This change advanced through Bill 7 is forward looking and not the dununa reverse clause before the change. Serous political parties should avoid nominating candidates who will resign before elections.