Too many time-wasters-Noel Nkhoma
Nkhoma urges ECZ TO put Presidential nomination fee at K5 million
By Francis Chipalo
Economist, Noel Nkhoma has urged the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to consider hiking the nomination fee for the position of President to K5 million.
Asked if such a fee would not disadvantage many especially the youth who might have what it takes to be President, Nkhoma says the Presidency cannot be leftout to what he described as ‘chancers’.
He stated that those with limited resources should apply as mayors or council chairpersons.
“I am delighted that the Tonse Alliance has placed a premium on the Presidency by setting the nomination/application fee at K300,000.00. This is how it should be, we can’t leave the Presidency to chancers,” he said.
Nkhoma said we cannot have people staying in rented houses wanting to preside over the treasury.
“In so saying, I would like to urge the ECZ to put the Presidential nomination fee at K5 million. Let us be serious for once. You cannot have dreamers all thinking they can be Presidents,” he added.
The nomination fees for Presidents as of 2021 was at K95,000 for male and K75,000 for female candidates, with the youth being at K60,000 respectively.
There are thousands of people living in rented houses who are more upright than you Mr. Nkhoma. The fact that Mr. Huchilema has enormous wealth doesnot mean he cannot abuse his position as president to create even more wealth for himself and his family. That is why trust is good BUT control is even better.
We need to put life audits and public declaration of assets and liabilities as controls not just assume that those who are wealthy cannot steal. They do steal and steal big to sustain their position.
The presidency is not for the rich neither is moral uprightness the exclusive domain of the rich. Thieves are at every level of the scale. The ECZ must keep the presidential nomination fee at the minimum to allow even the poor but upright and gifted in leadership to have a shot at the presidency. Ultimately, it is the people who must decide who leads them. Don’t put up artificial barriers.
There are a lot of well to do people who rent houses. It is a Zambian perception to think that to build your own regardless of where is a sign of being well. The are people who are renting expensive houses in effluent suburbans. Democracy knows no riches. Unless you want the rich to vote for the rich and the poor for the poor.