THE PRESENCE OF CHARITY LUMPA BROUGHT CONFUSION IN PF?

The Candidates’ Comment

The decision of Charity Lumpa to contest in Lusaka Central Constituency as an Independent candidate, after failing to get adopted by the Patriotic Front (PF), speaks so much about her possible involvement in protests and sabotage we are witnessing against Margaret Mwanakatwe.

As a matter of principle, we do not think Margaret deserves that adoption. We have openly criticized Margaret because of her failure to control her drinking habit. We do so not because we are perfect ourselves but because we have been disappointed with Margaret for failure to control herself where alcoholism is concerned to a point where her work as Minister of Finance – before she was fired – was affected.

However, even as we do not agree with Margaret’s adoption for Lusaka Central, we cannot deprive her of the legitimate support bestowed on her by her party. We are witnessing sabotage by the PF District executive against Margaret where officials have openly spoken ill of her and have decided to withdraw their support which they have directed towards Charity Lumpa who has opted to contest as Independent candidate in Lusaka Central.

Not very long ago, we played a recorded phone conversation between Charity and a Margaret Mwanakatwe sympathizer Mwansa Kapwepwe. In that conversation, Charity refused having a hand in any of the protests and sabotage against Margaret’s adoption. We do not think Charity is being honest. Her finger prints are all over these protests, the sabotage against Margaret we continue to witness.

We know that Charity’s campaign has a lot of money. Many people in PF are supporting Charity because of the money she has, which she is dishing out to all sorts of people. Those minions, sycophants who are supporting Charity are doing so because they have discovered a stream of revenue to sustain their lives. Those elements do not have any fundamental belief in Charity’s candidature than the belief in her wealth which they take as a means for survival.

It takes very little intelligence – if a little is all that one has – to realize that Charity is at the center of the sabotage against Margaret’s candidature. We say so because if indeed Charity is not involved in these confusions and has conceded defeat to Margaret over the adoption – as she wants to have us believe – why is she contesting as an Independent candidate?

Charity and her minions peddle a notion that she is honest and has integrity. We dare agree with Margaret’s sympathizer Mwansa Kapwepwe that Charity has no integrity going by her decision to go for a seat of her former boss Margaret after being left out. We are not taking away her democratic right to contest an election. Of course, she has that right. But her right should not be used to sabotage Margaret who has been preferred by her party.

Beyond what the surface suggests, Charity overrates herself and thinks she is better than Margaret. She is in denial of the fact that PF chose Margaret and not her. It is that overrating of herself which propels her in what she is doing. But of course, there is nothing honest about what she is doing. There is nothing honorable about her behavior. When someone tells you that they are honorable, that they have morals, they are honest and have integrity, listen less to their own mouth but pay attention to their behavior.

We must not fail to tell what influences certain people to do certain things. We do not think that Charity has a noble cause in her uncontrolled appetite to become an MP in Lusaka Central. Clearly, this is not about the poor voters in Bauleni. There is more than what meets the eye. Charity cannot be splashing all that money around for nothing. There is a reason that is bigger than the interest of the people. It is a matter of time before we all know the reason why Charity has this huge appetite to be an MP.

THE K3M BEING DEMANDED IS A DISTRACTION….I HAVE MORE PRESSING ISSUES TO FOCUS ON – SANGWA

CONSTITUTIONAL lawyer John Sangwa says as a lawyer, he is embarrassed by the K3 million that Makebi Zulu Advocates and Lewis Nathan Advocates are demanding from him as costs following the Constitutional Court’s decision to dismiss his petition against ECZ and others.

In an interview, Sangwa said he was embarrassed by the said demand as it could deceive the public that lawyers make that kind of money just by addressing the court for as short a period as 20 minutes.

“My real position is this, I am actually embarrassed as a lawyer by the demand. As a lawyer I am embarrassed, because what we are doing is to mislead the Zambian people that lawyers make that kind of money. That a lawyer can appear in court, address the court for 20 minutes and make that kind of money,” he said.

“Anyway, I think to me that is a distraction, I have more important national issues to attend to. I will deal with that demand later. Right now, I have more important, more pressing national issues to focus on. If that was the kind of money lawyers make, we would all be retired. It’s embarrassing that someone can be demanding that kind of money in a case where they invited themselves.”

Last week, the Constitutional Court dismissed Sangwa’s petition in which he wanted the court to order the Electoral Commission of Zambia to amend the affidavit for presidential candidates and running mates to include the number of times the candidate has held office as President.

In a ruling, Thursday, Justice Martin Musaluke on behalf of other Constitutional Court judges dismissed the petition with costs and stated that reasons would be given in the judgement to be delivered on May 27, 2021.

But in separate demand letters dated May 17 and 18, this year addressed to Sangwa, Makebi Zulu Advocates and Lewis Nathan Advocates are now demanding K1,500,000 each as costs and have further given Sangwa one week in which to settle the costs.

“In light of the decision of the court dismissing your petition where you were condemned to pay costs, we write to inform you that we have pegged our costs at a modest fee of K1,500,000 only. We accordingly demand that the said sum be paid within seven days of receipt of this letter,” Makebi Zulu Advocates stated.

And in a similar letter, Lewis Nathan Advocates wrote; “Reference is made to the court’s decision of May 13, instant dismissing your petition with costs. We write to inform you that we have pegged our costs at a modest fee of K1,500,000 only. We accordingly demand that the said sum be paid within seven days of receipt of this letter.”

The law firms also provided their bank details.

THE people of Petauke Central never wanted the candidate that the PF central committee gave them, that is why they asked me to stand as an independent candidate, says former PF Eastern Province youth chairman Emmanuel Jay Jay Banda.

In an interview, Banda who is Petauke Central independent aspiring member of parliament said the PF central committee went against President Edgar Lungu’s wishes by adopting unpopular candidates to contest the August general elections.

“No, I did not betray the PF. The central committee are the ones who betrayed me. That is why I have decided now to work for the President. Because the President was very clear to say you adopt someone who is on the ground. I as Emmanuel Jay Jay Banda, I am not a party member for PF. I resigned. I did not resign because I wasn’t adopted but because the central committee went against what the President said. So for me to protect the name of the President, I went independent. The President was very clear to say they will adopt someone popular but the central committee went against that,” Banda said.

Banda said he had been on the ground in Petauke Central and that the people wanted him to contest the seat.

“I am sure you have seen and I am sure it has been vindicated. You can see the councillors, those who were given adoptions for the PF, they have refused, they have come to me. They have said ‘no, no we know what is sellable here in Petauke [Central]’. So they have joined me,” he said.

“You the media are the ones who quoted him (President Lungu) first. He said that ‘you adopt what the people want’. So the Petauke people never wanted what the central committee gave them. That is why they asked me to stand as an independent, the Petauke people.”

On Tuesday, PF deputy national chairperson Davies Chama said former party members who have decided to stand as independent candidates after being left out of the adoption process have betrayed the party.

“This is betrayal because these people were saying that they were loyal members. If you have talked to them, most of them were pledging that they were loyal members. That is why you judge people by their words and actions, because what you say must reflect on what you do.

It is very unfortunate that people who were masquerading, of course people are frustrated because some people are so ambitious that if you are not picked, they think that they should be picked at all cost. There is only one position, I have always said that there is only one position at any particular time.

Our wish is that 10 people or 15 people can stand, but even if you were to say 15 people stand and you have received 30, you will pick 15 people, you can’t choose 30 people,” Chama said.

UPND AllIANCE HAS PUT IN PLACE MEASURES TO PROTECT THE ALLIANCE VOTE – KBF

And Fube has condemned the burning of UPND Alliance president Hakainde Hichilema’s campaign billboard, and has further called for the arrest of the perpetrators.

In an interview, Fube said the alliance was confident of winning the general elections and was putting systems in place to ensure an equal playing field and the protection of votes.

“The alliance is very confident because we know that some of the things that happen in an election won’t happen now. We have put systems in place and we are still modifying and pulling up our systems. We will know how to protect the vote. We are going to go into full time education of the polling agents. But more than that, we will also have to ensure that the people in charge of the elections get to understand that they must begin to enforce the electoral rules to a point where even the ruling party must feel if they misbehave, they can be disqualified.

We cannot have elections which are lopsided and one-sided, no! There must be an equal playing field so that at the end of the day everybody feels that, if they have lost, they have lost on merit. Not because you have skewed the attention or certain systems to suit yourself. We are aware of certain things which the PF have put in place, we are doing counter measures now. I can’t go into details but we are moving,” Fube said.

“We want to inspect every polling station and we ensure that we will have polling agents on that polling station. We have to make sure that our people are on the ground to protect the vote from the polling stations. We will also have to ensure that our lawyers, our legal team will be full throttle on the go, if they have to go and get injunctions, if they [have to] go and stop certain acts which we know have been planned.”

Fube charged that the original PF was dead because the people who had joined the party had destroyed and diluted it.

“The problem we have with PF, generally in terms of planning, they think it is about money, it is about corrupting the electorate, it is about music and dancing, they have no message. Again, for some of us that was the departure point, because we kept telling them we cannot go on this trajectory. They didn’t want to listen, they think we are frustrated, we are angry, it is not about that, it is principle. If you disagree with somebody, disagree on principle, disagree on ideas. Don’t agree on personality.

I am not interested in personality myself, I am interested in the level of thinking, what are you bringing on the table? What value are you bringing to the table? I don’t see much value in PF right now. The original PF, I am sorry to say, it is dead! The people that have come in PF have destroyed and diluted PF. The problem is that people who are blinded by money and corruption think PF is the same, it is not the same. It is not the same PF!” exclaimed Fube.

Fube also condemned the burning of Hichilema’s campaign billboard, stating that government should show leadership by ensuring that the culprits were caught and brought to book.

“Let me begin by saying that I condemn the act of burning the poster of the UPND party president. Second of all, I want to make it very clear that lawlessness has become part of the DNA of the PF. For some of us it has become the departure point. It is not correct that when your party is in government, you promote lawlessness to a level where citizens must live in fear. It is a very dangerous development where cadres begin to think they are above the law.

We cannot as citizens sit idly by and watch these developments grow from one inch to the next inch. The next thing, they will be coming to your home and demand rent when they do not own the house. We have seen this kind of behavior when they entered the civil service and wanted to get the civil servant out of her working environment. That is lawlessness!” he lamented.

“We have seen when they put their chitenge on the dashboard of their car and the police cannot stop them. That becomes their passport to pass any road block whether their car is road worthy or not. So, this act of burning the poster is unfortunate. This is where we must see leadership on the part of whoever is in government to ensure that the culprits are caught and brought to book. Examples must be set so that it is a deterrent.

The problem we have is that most of the cadres know that they are backed by people in authority, in government and in party structures. So, they misbehave at will. This for some of us is a departure point because you cannot rule a country when you are a bad example.”

And Fube called on the police to act professionally by arresting the perpetrators.

“I am not sure whether it is the PF who burnt [Hichilema’s billboard], whatever it is, the government must take its position. It is not good enough on the part of the police, we are tired of the police telling us ‘we are investigating, we are investigating’, how many things have they investigated? How many things have they concluded? The problem we have is that professional policing is also dying.

There are some very good police officers in the police force but they are being discouraged because of lack of leadership in the police force, and because of lack of being encouraged to do their jobs. Some of them when they do their job professionally, the first thing is a phone call from a Minister of Home Affairs or some SG and start saying ‘what are doing, that is our boy’, you can’t do that,” he said.

“So, it is very unfortunate and I condemn it. I mean why have all these cameras been put up around the streets? They haven’t seen who did this? Because one of the reasons they have told us that they are putting [up] all these cameras in the streets is to be watching the streets. It is not just about road accidents; it is to observe the behaviour of people in the communities. Now surely those cameras haven’t picked up anything, then they are fake cameras. They are just like those cameras that they gave us for road traffic and then they ended up paying fines which we did not understand.”

Meanwhile, Fube said the country needed fresh leadership to restore the rule of law.

“For me, the whole nation requires fresh leadership, this is failure of leadership. We cannot be singing that ‘there will be no violence’, we are seeing it happening even before we get into full swing elections. I condemn it and I don’t want to go beyond condemnation except to say that I am very disappointed with whoever has done this. If they are being sent by their leaders, they should think twice because at the end of the day 12th of August is coming.

We are going to campaign, what happens if there is a change of government? Because the people that you are harassing today will turn against you. We don’t want people to be taking the law into their own hands, there are systems in this government and we must reinforce those systems. I mean it is rather sad. It is very disappointing!” said Fube.

Patriotic Front (PF) running mate Nkandu Luo has described President Edgar Lungu as a trendsetter who has continued to support women.

Professor Luo said that President Lungu is a self-made man who supports women and that her role will be to support his vision.

Professor Luo said that Zambians need to give credit to the Head of State as the country never had a woman Vice President or running mate for many years prior to the appointment of the first female Vice President, adding that many other countries have started emulating Zambia by appointing women Vice Presidents.

Professor Luo has called on all women in the country to rally behind President Lungu in the forthcoming elections as there are greater opportunities that will come their way and that she intends to get into the shoes of Vice President Inonge Wina even though they are big but has expressed confidence that they will fit.

Professor Luo said this when a delegation from NGOCC called on her at her home in Lusaka where they presented a gift to her in recognition of her contribution to the women movement.

She called on NGOCC to work in collaboration with Government in achieving the common goal of having women representation in positions of influence.

And NGOCC Board Chairperson Mary Mulenga said Professor Luo’s appointment is a plus to the women movement as she has always been part of their programmes.

Mrs. Mulenga said NGOCC is confident that Professor LUO will bring out issues affecting women as she has done in the past once she assumes office.

Meanwhile, The Bible Gospel Church in Africa (BGOCA) has praised President Edgar Lungu for appointing Professor Nkandu Luo as his running mate.

BGOCA Deputy Secretary General Lazarous Shumba said the church is happy with the choice of the President.

Bishop Shumba pointed out that the women’s department of Bible Gospel Church in Africa is appreciative of the decision.

In a statement to ZANIS in Lusaka yesterday, Bishop Shumba underscored that President Lungu is making women involved in the governing process.

“Pastor Hildar Ndhlovu of Bible Gospel Church in Africa Women of Destiny International, a women’s department of Bible Gospel Church in Africa would like to appreciate President Edgar Lungu for choosing Prof Luo ahead of August 12th General Elections,” the clergyman said in the statement.

He pointed out that BGOCA will support strides that are being made to empower women in society.

Recently, Inter-Africa Governance Network ( AFRINET) also commended President Edgar Lungu for his exceptional and consistent courage on the nomination of Professor Nkandu Luo as his running mate in the forthcoming election on the 12th August, 2021.

AFRINET Executive Director Maurice Malambo says the nomination comes as President Lungu’s second endorsement of female’s abilities, a mark of his confidence in relation to the Office of Vice-president, the first having been the nomination of Inonge Wina to the same office.

Yesterday May 17th, during his filling of nomination papers, President Edgar Lungu availed Nkandu Luo as his running mate ahead of August 12th General Elections.

PF INDEPENDENT CANDIDATES HAVE BETRAYED THE PARTY – DAVIES CHAMA

PF deputy national chairperson Davies Chama says former party members who have decided to stand as independent candidates after being left out of the adoption process have betrayed the party.

On Sunday, former Kitwe District Commissioner Binwell Mpundu and immediate past Kalulushi mayor and former constituency chairlady Rashida Mulenga resigned from the party in order to stand as independent candidates in the upcoming election.

Former PF Eastern Province youth chairman Emmanuel Jay Jay Banda and former defence deputy Minister Christopher Mulenga also declared that they would contest this year’s general elections as independent candidates in Petauke Central and Chinsali constituencies, respectively.

But in an interview, Chama said it was unfortunate that most members who earlier declared loyalty to the party had decided to stand as independent candidates.

“This is betrayal because these people were saying that they were loyal members. If you have talked to them, most of them were pledging that they were loyal members. That is why you judge people by their words and actions, because what you say must reflect on what you do. It is very unfortunate that people who were masquerading, of course people are frustrated because some people are so ambitious that if you are not picked, they think that they should be picked at all cost. There is only one position, I have always said that there is only one position at any particular time. Our wish is that 10 people or 15 people can stand, but even if you were to say 15 people stand and you have received 30, you will pick 15 people, you can’t choose 30 people,” Chama said.

“In this case, there is only one position at any particular time for a particular constituency. So, only one person can be picked. Everyone thinks that they are popular, everyone says that ‘I am the one on the ground’. Apparently in politics everyone is on the ground, everyone is popular in their own assessment, but the party makes an informed decision. It is quite a very difficult balancing act that sometimes you even have to disappoint people that you have worked with, people who have been very loyal to you. But the bigger picture is that the party comes first against the individual interests.”

Chama said ambitious party members should be patient and wait for the next election.

“There is always a next time for those who are ambitious, but some people are so ambitious that if it doesn’t go their way, they want to go the other way to stand as independent candidates. It is unfortunate but that is the nature of politics sometimes and the nature of human beings. Not everyone that smiles at you loves you, people can smile at you, they can say a lot of good things about you but behind your back they say something else. That is life!” he said.

And Chama added that President Edgar Lungu had chosen Professor Nkandu Luo as his running mate because he wanted to work with someone he was comfortable with.

He urged the party members to support Prof Luo.

“All the time, we have said that the way our Constitution has been tailored, the running mate to the President or any presidential candidate for that matter, it is the personal choice of a President. The President must choose a person who he or she believes that this person will add value. There is a lot of information that the President gathers. There is only one position of a running mate and this is a preserve of the President who makes his decision. Sometimes he cannot even consult because it is the preserve of the President. He must feel comfortable that they will be able to work in harmony. You don’t want to find a partner that you are going to work with, you are in conflict or someone who will be praying that you die so that this person takes over. It will be very uncomfortable!” Chama said.

“The President has made a decision and for me it is the correct decision, I think our Constitution also has certain clauses that talk about gender balancing. We must be sensitive to make sure that we bring in as many women in leadership as possible. Our party and our President have been promoters of gender balancing to make sure that we bring on board as many women as possible in positions of leadership. For me it is a good decision and every member must support Professor Nkandu Luo to make sure that the party grows and that the party wins on 12th August.”

Hakainde Hichilema (HH) is a Zambian politician and businessman who was born on June 4, 1962 in Monze, Zambia.

He is a father of three children (Miyanda, Habwela and Chikonka) and is married to Mutinta Hichilema.

HH spent his formative years in Southern province of Zambia, where he attended local primary schools and pursued high school education at Kalomo Secondary School. Upon completion of high school education, he was admitted in the School of Humanities and Social Science at the University of Zambia where he graduated with a BA in Economics and Business Administration in 1986. He thereafter pursued an MBA in Finance and Business Strategy at the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom.

HH had an illustrious career as a business and management expert that culminated in his rising to the position of Chief Executive Officer of Coopers and Lybrand (C&L) at the age of 26 years and later he become CEO for Grant Thornton (GT) for 12 years. Both C&L and GT are leading international professional services firms providing corporate finance, accounting, auditing, corporate recovery, management consultancy and tax advisory services to several reputable clients. These firms are member organizations of C&L International and GT International respectively which operate in more than 130 countries worldwide.

HH has been and remains one of the leading lights in business with wide experience in Zambia, Southern Africa, United Kingdom and other countries at operational and executive management levels. He served/serves on numerous boards of corporate entities including; as Chairman of the Board of Directors – Barclays Bank Zambia Plc., Sun International (Z) Ltd, Africa Trade Insurance a multilateral Pan African organization based in Kenya, Greenbelt Fertilizers Limited, Media Trust Fund and Export Development Programme II.

He was member of the Board of Directors of ; Zambia Investment Limited, Seedco Zambia Limited, African Life Financial Services, Zambezi Nickel (Bermuda) Limited, Westlake Investment Ltd. (Mauritius), Zambia Association of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ZACCI), Zambia Business Forum, C&L’s Africa Governing board, C&L International’s Governance Committee, GT International Governance board, Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines (Smelterco) Limited and he served on boards of eight other companies.

HH has been active in the business community and has a strong high level private and public sector network locally and internationally.

Over years HH has participated in community work such as building clinics, schools, livestock dip tanks, dams, boreholes and founding a cultural fund that finances the revival of cultural ceremonies in Zambia.

HH retired in 2006 to pursue community service initiatives and within a short period of retiring from the corporate world he entered active politics as a member of the opposition United Party for National Development (UPND), a liberal political party whose formation he supported as a technocrat. Following the death of the UPND founding President Anderson Kambela Mazoka, he was elected as the party’s new President. Within 50 days of becoming President of the UPND, he was elected as the flag bearer of the United Democratic Alliance.

A DEEP THOUGHT ABOUT THE UPND RUNNING MATE

Zambians are geared to know who the running mates are to the two main political parties namely: the PF under president Edgar Lungu and UPND under president Hakainde Hichilema. Yesterday many got a rude shock to see Mr. Lungu settling for madam Nkandu Luo as a running mate. It is a situation which has caused a political diarrhea in the PF camp. The future is unknown as others lose hope of the PF’s future.

On the other side the eleventh hour move by Mr. KBF and Mr. Mutati to work with the main strong opposition leader HH has made others suggest that a running mate should come from alliance partners since it is an alliance. Very interesting suggestions there. Most commentators fronting KBF and Mutati as possible running mate.

Now, here are some key issues that each one of us should not ignore as we make these suggestions and be expectant of any thing tomorrow, but most importantly to accept whatever comes out and soldier on.

1. KBF and Mutati are not the only alliance partners. We have the Charles Milupi and Akafumba’s under the NDC. Take note of that. Because if we are to go by alliances it would be not fair for HH to ignore those guys, especially that they have been with him for quite some time.

2. Their resolutions. Since we don’t know what their resolutions were in those meetings, we can only speculate. Can you imagine if all alliance members have said colleagues let us settle for our sister Mutale Nalumango and fight this battle as men with one common goal. The question is, are we going to call HH selfish that he has not given alliance partners a chance? I don’t think so. We are all blank of what point of agreement is on the table, it’s better we leave a room for disappointment tomorrow. I personally don’t expect a condition being attached by our brothers KBF and Mutati at this crucial hour. All we want is to remove the Pompous Edgar Lungu and his minions who feel they are small gods and they can turn our nation upside down.

Taking all these issues into consideration, I advise we all remain calm and expect anything at that point. Therefore, let us all accept the results without accusing anyone for anything. Our goal is to restore Zambia and make it a great nation once again. We need everyone who is against PF. This cruel regime must go come August. We want our freedom as Zambians and respect for the rule of law as well as our Republican Constitution which they have taken as toilet paper.

As I conclude, all I can say is that may God guide HH and his team when choosing the running mate. This is a crucial situation, we are in a pact with Alliance Partners of course but this situation needs wisdom from above, so the inner and external circle of HH including us independent commentators should not mislead him and I believe he is a smart man. Besides, we need numbers and everyone who can pull the rug out of PFs feet is needed on board. We need strategists. Removing PF from power is no mean achievement, or a walk in a park whilst smiling. These people are ready to do anything even spilling innocent blood just to retain power . We are aware of Kaizer Zulu, Antonio Mwanza and others finalizing on their criminal activities to engage in manipulating elections.

We are watching you closely guys and soon justice will visit you. Don’t think in those corners you are hiding we have no clue, we know. We are also aware of a group of the IT individual criminals stationed in one of the compounds in Lusaka purported to be from Nigeria. Soon we will be there.

God bless Zambia and God bless the citizens. United we stand divided we fall.

SIKAILE C SIKAILE
GOOD GOVERNANCE AND HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST FOR ZAMBIA AND AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL

CAN A PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE REPLACE A RUNNING MATE AFTER NOMINATIONS?

By Isaac Mwanza

A member of one opposition political party that successfully filed the presidential nomination asked this question today: Can we change our running mate at this point? My answer was that the law offers an option, dependent on what happens to a running mate: resignation or death (God forbid!)

1. EFFECT OF RESIGNATION OR DEATH OF RUNNING MATE

The first step to answering this question is to draw a parallel of what happens when a presidential candidate resigns or dies before the run-off in the presidential nomination as per clause (3) of Article 102 of the Constitution of Zambia. In terms of Article 102(3): –

“The presidential candidate who assumed the place of the previous presidential candidate in accordance with clause (2) shall appoint a running mate.”

Readers should take note that this does not talk about what happens if a running mate is one that resigns. But the courts would find the provision discriminatory if the same cannot be applied when a running mate resigns or dies, as the Court did in the case of Attorney General and Another v Lewanika and 4 Others (Supreme Court of Zambia Judgment No. 2 of 1994). In that case, the Court was faced with a similar debate around the then Article 71(2)(c) of the Constitution of the Republic of Zambia. Under that Constitution, Article 71(2)(c) (now repealed) read:

“Article 71(2)(c) (repealed).
A member of the National Assembly shall vacate his seat in the Assembly:in the case of an elected member who becomes a member of a political party other than the party of which he was an authorised candidate; if he is an independent, joins a political party.”

The Supreme Court observed that “the article is in total silence as to what happens to a member “who resigns from the party that sponsored his candidature and does not join another party” and that situation is not expressly covered. There can be no doubt there is a lacuna or a void in this article.”

The Court then held that “whenever the strict interpretation of a statute gives rise to unreasonable and an unjust situation, it is our view that judges can and should use their good common sense to remedy it – that it by reading words in if necessary – so as to do what parliament would have done had they had the situation in mind. We, therefore, propose to remedy the situation in this case by reading in the necessary words so as to make the constitutional provision fair and un-discriminatory. Consequently, the necessary words to be read in are “vice versa”

Hence Article 71(2)(c) should now read:

71 (2) A member of the National Assembly shall vacate his seat in the Assembly: in the case of an elected member, if he becomes a member of a political party other than the party, of which he was an authorised candidate when he was elected to the National Assembly or, if having been an independent candidate, he joins a political party or vice versa.”

Again, it may be argued that the provisions in Article 102 are restricted to the time when a presidential candidate resigns due to ill-health or dies during the run-off but does not provide for what happens in the first round, that is, between nomination and the time of the general election. This may a good argument but may be held discriminatory again because the situation can also happen earlier.

2. REPLACEMENT TRIGGERED BY ARTICLE 52(6)

However, regardless that the Constitution has fixed the election date for a General Election in Article 56 clause 1, Article 52 clause 6 of the Constitution provides what happens when a candidate resigns after filing nomination but before the election date.

“Article 52(6) reads:
Where a candidate dies, resigns…, after the close of nominations and before the election date, the Electoral Commission shall cancel the election and require the filing of fresh nominations by eligible candidates and elections shall be held within thirty days of the filing of the fresh nominations.”

This article is clearer: if a candidate, be it presidential or running mate resigns or dies (God forbid!), the Electoral Commission shall cancel the election and require the filing of fresh nominations by eligible candidates and elections shall be held within thirty days of the filing of the fresh nominations.

Article 52(6) is the only opportunity for any party to replace a candidate if the candidate is becoming the custom in South Africa’s ANC. Zambia is lucky that all these candidates who have resigned or withdrawn have not done so after close of nomination and before the election. If they did, it would have cancelled the entire nomination and put the election in jeopardy as the Electoral Commission, in obedience of Article 52(6) is required to conduct fresh nomination and hold the election “within thirty days of the filing of the fresh nominations.”

CONCLUSION

The only sure way to replace a presidential running mate after the filing of the nomination is for that running mate to resign for any various reason as provided under Article 52(6) of the Constitution. The resignation under this Article mandatorily cancels that particular election and calls for fresh nominations of all candidates. The other way is by resigning due to ill-health and draw a parallel from Article 102 clauses (2) and (3) but this would need the Constitutional Court to hold that the similar instances apply to resignations done during the first round of the general election.

Lusaka,18.05.2021

Allow me to express our heartfelt thanks as the PF in Lusaka to President Edgar Chagwa Lungu who has continued to inspire us with his style of progressive leadership through the manner he is promoting nobel women and giving them the highest degree of respect by appointing them to top positions of leadership.

We are also grateful and proud of the outgoing Vice-President, her honour Madame Inonge Mutukwa Wina who has been a great inspiration to the nation, especially women and girls that indeed a woman in this country can occupy any office without the impediments of gender inequalities that have been significantly fought by the PF Government and enabled our mothers to serve the country at any position of leadership.

Vice-President Inonge Wina is a definition of true loyalty and Patriotism. As the PF, we will cherish and celebrate her. Long live to our mother.

Now coming to the chosen successor, Professor Nkandu Luo, again we want to thank President Edgar Lungu for choosing a tough, powerful, influential and academically highly educated woman who has inspired this country for many years in various positions of political leadership and in her specialised field of medicine and microbiology sciences.

This is the exact leadership and Vice-President level that the country needs. President Lungu being a highly qualified lawyer, well educated, deserves the support of a strong woman in Professor Nkandu Luo to deputise him.

Professor Luo is a very experienced politician and member of parliament who has been in the political space for a long time. She understands this political landscape of this country and her commitment to duty is unmatched. Her passion to see Zambia develop is undoubted as evidenced through her personal culture of hardwork and pantuality on matters of national interest.

Those that have worked closely with Professor Luo will testify that she has put service above self and does not compromise when it comes to work. This is a woman of great blues and strong principles that attract great admiration.

Her influence in the academic and political world is unmatched and goes beyond the boarders of Zambia. We are confident that through her connections to the world she will promote and empower many women when she becomes Vice-President after August 12 2021. The country will also benefit immensely from this great decision President Lungu made of picking her as a running mate.

We respect and take pride as the PF in Professor Luo because she is not a pass over and does not tolerate mungulu type of leadership at any level. These value propelled her to achieve alot in life even in the field of academics reaching PHD level. This country has a lot to learn from such nobel women. It is the only way to the achievement of great success. It is through mindset change.

One cannot afford to deceive Professor Luo because she demands facts and figures on the ground. She does not do things to please and individual but does everything in the best interest of the people and the nation.

As a party we are very disappointed with some excited petty opposition leaders and their cadres who have taken to social media to mock our mother in what is tantamount to cyber bullying. We expect ZICTA and the relevant authorities to take keen interest in what is happening on social media and bring law breakers to book.

Leadership is not a beauty contest that we must begin to compare the physical appearances of our mothers. That uncultured behaviour is very disappointing and must be stopped.

Our tradition and culture teaches us that all women are our mothers and must be respected. Moreover, we are proud of our mothers because we are all made in the image and likeness of the God Almighty as the Bible teaches us.

We demand for respect and we urge all Zambians, our party structures and indeed the entire leadership to rally behind the ruling PF, President Edgar Lungu and the running mate, our mother Professor Nkandu Luo.

With Kind Regards,

Signed///

Kenndy Kamba (MCC)
PF Lusaka Province Chairman

I DECIDED NOT TO CONTEST ELECTIONS TO HELP PRESIDENT LUNGU WIN – NAWAKWI

FDD president Edith Nawakwi says she decided not to contest the August general elections because she wants to place her vote on President Edgar Lungu.

And Nawakwi has congratulated Professor Nkandu Luo for being the running mate to a “winning team”.

Speaking to journalists after President Lungu filed in his nomination, Monday, Nawakwi said President Lungu would create unity in the country.

“I know that the President is coming back, there is no other choice at this point of time. And all of you young men and women who have the power, I urge you to place that power on President Edgar Lungu. I have looked at the list and said to myself ‘my God, this country could easily end up in the devil’s hands’ and at that point, I made a decision that the one vote that I have, if I stand, I will place it on myself.

If I don’t, at least I will give it to one person who needs to be there to create unity in this country at this point in time. I think that we need to be very prayerful and realise that any mistake turning the other way could land this country in the hands of the devil. And that is the primary motive for me to come forward and say, well this time I am not running, I need to place that one vote on President Edgar Lungu,” Nawakwi said.

She further congratulated Prof Luo for being the running mate to a “winning team”, adding that she was the best choice.

“I have known her for a long time, we were together in Cabinet. She is a very strong woman and I think the country has got the best choice that we could get at this time. You know that she is an action oriented person, she likes to work, she enjoys her work. And I think all the women should rally behind the President and make sure that the next Vice-President is a woman. And this is the privilege from our President that he continues to look up to the women to be the right hand mate for him. So, we are very grateful for this appointment. I congratulate honourable Nkandu Luo for being the running mate to a winning team,” said Nawakwi.

newsdiggers

UPND SHOULD NOT RETALIATE AND BURN BILL BOARDS ALSO….WE ARE INVESTIGATING THE CASE – ZAMBIA POLICE

POLICE spokesperson Esther Katongo says police have launched investigations into the burning of UPND presidential candidate Hakainde Hichilema’s campaign billboard a day after it was mounted near Heroes stadium in Lusaka.

And Katongo says information that the Police are receiving on the ground is that the people that destroyed the said billboard were not in any political party regalia.

In an interview, Katongo said burning of campaign materials for another political party was a crime and further asked citizens who had information on the same to report to the police.

“That is something that has value, whether it is a billboard or chitenge or structure it has value attached to it. So, anyone who destroys resources like that, is liable for prosecution. When you read the penal code that is malicious damage to property. The IG already laid the foundation in his statement last week. He even touched on the issue of burning and pulling down of other people’s campaign materials. So, if there are people who have information regarding the same, let them give us that information so that perpetrators are brought to book and they should save as examples for others who are planning to do that,” Katongo said.

“We are going to act, it is a matter of finding information, it is a matter of finding the people behind that. Some people maybe saying ‘we are delaying’, we are finding links leading to the people that did that. We may not pick innocent people just to have it on record that [we] acted swiftly, we have to find the correct perpetrators of that crime.”

She cautioned the UPND against following the same route.

“The UPND should not follow that route, because it is criminal. They may find that as they are doing that, they will be found on the scene, and it will be quick for us maybe to arrest them. Two wrongs don’t make a right. We are investigating the matter. If the UPND have information let them give it to us,” Katongo said.

“The information we are getting on the ground is that those that destroyed that, they were not in any political party regalia. That was according to the people on the ground who saw the same people, they were saying they were not in any political regalia, but we don’t know. For us we don’t follow political parties, we follow wrong doors who are criminals in respective of which political parties they belong to or whether it is any other person who is not even politically inclined, for us we are looking for the person who committed that offence.”

Meanwhile, UPND national youth spokesperson Gilbert Liswaniso urged the police to be fair and to take action against the perpetrators.

“I think we have seen this lawlessness for a long time. We can’t allow lawlessness to go around in the country and people are watching. Parliament has been dissolved, all of us are equal. The police have now to be very fair because Parliament has been dissolved, everybody should be protected, the PF should be protected, the UPND should be protected, all parties should be protected by the Zambia police. We should not allow anyone, even the UPND to burn the PF banners. But what we have seen is that the police are allowing these criminals to continue doing the same,” said Liswaniso.

PROF. LUO BEST CHOICE FOR PRESIDENT LUNGU’S RUNNING MATE-ANTONIO MWANZA

… says her appointment will cement his legacy as a fighter and soldier for gender equity and advancement of women’s rights in governance issues

Lusaka, Monday 18th May 2021

(SMARTEAGLES)

Patriotic Front (PF) Deputy Media Director Antonio Mwanza has said that Professor Nkandu Luo is the best choice for President Lungu’s running mate.

Speaking when he featured this morning on Live radio’s LIVE ISSUES program, Mr. Mwanza explained that President Lungu settled for Pro. Luo as his running mate because she is an accomplished politician who has a proven track record and has a sound solid academic background.

“It was not easy for the President to chose his running mate because he has a number of individuals because of three things. One, a person who is supposed to be a running mate must be a person who has a proven track record; they must be experienced, they must be competent, they must have the intellectual soundness and the work experience that comes with running the Presidency and madam Nkandu Luo has it all,” Mr Mwanza said.

“Number two is that she has worked in government for a long time starting with being the head of the microbiology at the University of Zambia to being Member of Parliament where she served as MP for Mandevu, Member of Parliament for Munali and also has served in various government ministries,” he added.

And Mr. Mwqnza has charged that leadership is not child’s play where people experiment with anything but need someone who is mature and has a proven track record.

The PF Media Director added that Prof. Luo will not only be a running mate but a Vice President who will use her experience both as a political player and an academician as well as a mothet and grandmother to give guidance to His Excellency President Edgar Lungu.

He charged that Prof. Luo is a tough woman who does not tolerate corruption and this will make it difficult for people who want shortcuts to work with her.

He further explained that the appointment of Prof. Luo as running mate will cement President Lungu’s legacy as a fighter and soldier for gender equity and advancement of women rights in governance issues.

Meanwhile, Mr. Mwanza has clarified that the cancellation of meal allowances for students at the Copperbelt University and University of Zambia was a collective decision by cabinet and not an individual decision by Prof. Luo when she served as Higher Education Minister.

Mr. Mwanza explained that Prof. Luo made it very clear why her Ministry had proposed to remove meal allowances from the two public universities.

“And that decision was not the Minister’s alone, there was a case study and analysis that was done to arrive at that decision. The historical background of meal allowances is that when President Kaunda and the UNIP government put up the University of Zambia it was the only university that we had and we had very few students,” Mr. Mwanza explained.

He added that it was easy then for government to feed and cook for students at that time but this 1989 became difficult for the UNIP government to continue with the program.

The PF Media Director explained that the PF government realized that government was spending more on meal allowances to support few students and hence decided to remove meal allowances in order to support more students in other public universities and colleges through student loans and scholarships.

” So what government decided was that we are going to remove meal allowances from students at CBU and UNZA and give scholarships to students at Chalimbana University, Kapasa Makasa University and all other public universities and colleges,” he said.

And Mr. Mwanza disclosed government is delighted that today they are more students accessing government scholarships and bursaries following the scrapping off of meal allowances.

PRESIDENT EDGAR LUNGU’S LAST TERM WILL BE A REAL DEAL

….. His choice of running mate confirms it.

By Wiseman Tembo

Without an ounce of doubt – I am convinced that President Edgar Lungu is now sorely focused on developing further and driving Zambia forward and not playing politics because the nation has been stuck in the political gear since 2016. It’s time as a nation we looked at the bigger picture which is recovering our economy and turning Zambia into an upper middle income country.

President Edgar Lungu nonplussed the entire nation with his choice of running such that many eyebrows were raised and armchair critics and political pundits had a field day. The message many missed is that President Edgar Lungu wants to be above petty politics in his last term in office as Republican President and his choice of running mate indicates so and I will explain why.

President Edgar Lungu had a luxury of choice and an arsenal of politicians to choose a simpatico running mate from. But being a levelheaded man he is, he resisted the temptation of choosing a running mate that plays politics at a professional and proficient level instead he went for an intelligent, firm and forthright running mate because he knows that his last term will not be about playing petty politics but delivering beyond the people’s expectations. President Edgar Lungu wants to go out with a bang!

By choosing Prof Nkandu Luo, President Edgar gave a signal that his last term in office will be a real deal. There will be bold decisions made in the interest of the Zambian people and there will be non-negotiables as far as service delivery and hard work is concerned because this is what Zambia needs and that is what Prof Luo brings to the vice Presidency.

Prof Luo’s track record speaks for itself as she does not have not even a single stain of corruption in her many years of serving the nation diligently since 1996 and this is no mean achievement. It is an open secret that temptations to be engaged in acts of corruption when working in Government are high but being a woman of integrity, Prof Luo passed the test. Borrowing the words of Dr. Chishimba Kambwili – Prof Luo is as white as KK’s handkerchief.

By picking a corruption and scandal free running mate, President Lungu sent a clear message that corruption, dishonesty and double-dealings won’t be condoned and culprits will have to face the law.

Like President Lungu acknowledged that not all will agree with his choice of running mate, nonetheless, am certain that with time he will once again be vindicated just like on previous decisions. I remember when he first appointed Honourable Davies Mwila as the Patriotic Front (PF) Secretary General many criticized him but today I can safely say that Honourable Mwila is currently the best Secretary General in our political circles thanks to President Edgar Lungu’s golden finger.

As revealed by President Lungu himself that he prayed and meditated on his decision, I strongly believe that he was led and influenced by God with the result that the decisions him and Prof Nkandu Luo will be making on behalf of Zambians may be designated in some sense with God’s wishes for his people. Am looking forward with great anticipation to President Lungu’s last term in office because it will be a real deal.

By Mwaka Ndawa

THE Constitutional Court has thrown out the case in which former PF Luangeni member of parliament Charles Zulu asked it to interpret what is equivalent to a grade 12 certificate and whether an individual without a grade 12 certificate but has tertiary certificates cannot participate in this year’s general elections.

Concourt judges Mungeni Mulenga, Margarete Munalula, Mwila Chitabo, Matthew Chisunka and Judy Mulongoti dismissed the matter for being res judicata.

Justice Mulongoti said the court found merit in the arguments by the Electoral Commission of Zambia and the state that the issues raised by Zulu were already decided upon in the Bizwayo Nkunika case.

Zulu had cited the Electoral Commission of Zambia and the Attorney General in the matter seeking an interpretation of Article 70 (1)(d) in relation to the notification by the electoral body that they will not accept nominations from aspiring candidates with only qualifications from tertiary institutions without the prescribed grade 12 certificate during the August 12 elections.

The former lawmaker wanted a determination on whether having regard to the Constitutional Court’s judgement delivered on March 10, 2021, in the Bizwayo Nkunika petition and the pronouncement by ECZ on March 17 that tertiary qualifications such as trade certificates, diploma or degree are not equivalent to grade 12 certificate is in breach of the Constitution considering that a grade 12 certificate or its equivalent is the minimum academic qualification required for a candidate.

Zulu wanted the court to determine wether a person who possess high qualifications than a grade 12 certificate or it’s equivalent is not eligible to contest as member of parliament because he or she does not have a grade 12 certificate or its equivalent.

He also wanted a determination on whether the electoral body should make a blanket interpretation to what constitutes a grade 12 certificate or equivalent and that no tertiary qualification is equivalent to a grade 12 certificate.

When the matter came up for hearing, Josiah Simachela, a chief state advocate in the Attorney General’s chambers, said the issues raised by Zulu were dealt with in the Nkunika case.

He said the case was res judicata, rendering the court functus officio.

Bob Musenga, who was representing the Electoral Commission of Zambia, adopted the arguments by the Attorney General.

Zulu’s lawyer Kenslick Simbao argued that the issues in the Nkunika case should be distinguished from his client’s case.

He said the court addressed what amounts to a grade 12 certificate and its equivalent but what was in contention was the interpretation of minimum qualification because Zulu had a diploma but does not have a grade 12 certificate and the same was certified to be equivalent to the requisite academic qualification.

Simbao urged the court to interpret the term minimum qualification under Article 70(1)(d) of the constitution because under the said Article, a candidate is not required to possess a minimum qualification when they have higher qualification.

“Res judicata is not the only instrument which can show that the court is firm and stands on its own decision. Neither the court (nor) ECZ have the mandate to determine what’s equivalent to a grade 12 certificate,” charged Simbao.

Judge Mulenga asked Simbao why he was before court when it had no mandate to interprete what constitutes a grade 12 certificate.

In his respons, Simbao said he was before court to inform it that Zulu’s tetiary qualifications were certified as an equivalence of a grade 12 certificate by the Zambia Qualifications Authority ZAQA but ECZ wants a grade 12 certificate.

When asked to produce a certificate to prove his claim, Simbao failed.

In his reply, Simachela insisted that the issues were adequately dealt with by the court, arguing that tertiary, vocational, crafts and apprenticeship certificates were not equivalent to a grade 12.

“Tertiary qualifications are the ones isued at colleges and universities and Zulu has been covered in the Nkunika case. We pray that the court confirms the preliminary issue and dismiss the case with costs,” said Simachela.

In dismissing the originating summons, the court ordered each party to bear own costs.

And reacting to the Court’s ruling, Zulu said he did not take the matter to court to qualify himself but did so for candidates who have tetiary qualifications but lacked a grade 12 certificate.

“The grade 12 clause has to be removed when we go back to Parliament because it has really disadvantaged people, especially women who were nurses and retired police officers who can participate better than a grade 12,” Zulu said.

“My diploma was graded grade six by the certifying council. I did not come to court to qualify myself. What I wanted was to clear the air because there is still a lot of tension in the country. I am not standing not because I don’t have a grade 12 certificate, no. Even if I qualified, I wasn’t supposed to stand, I have done two terms in my constituency.”

He said the electorates in Luangeni Constituency were disappointed that he had developed the constituency but he was not re-contesting his seat.

“The boreholes that I have built, the clinics and schools I built, I didn’t need that grade 12 certificate. I was also a deputy minister at some point, no one came to me and said no you are not debating well because you don’t have a grade 12 certificate. I participated full-time in Parliament for 10 years,” Zulu said.
“It is sad that many people have been disadvantaged. If I want to go back to Parliament, what I will do is simply write one subject, I need to rewrite which is nyanja, pass then I will qualify. For now am a member of the central committee. I don’t have intentions of going back to Parliament, my focus is to support the party, and campaign for Presindent Edgar Lungu.”

Zulu added that he will sit grade 12 exams in July this year under GCE.1

EDGAR’S CHOICE OF RUNNING MATE EXPLAINS PF MANIPULATED ADOPTIONS

The Candidates’ Comment

Many people are surprised with the adoption choices of the Patriotic Front (PF). In most instances for many people, it is difficult to understand why PF adopted certain characters.

Until today, people are shocked that Margaret Mwanakatwe was adopted against Charity Lumpa for Lusaka Central Constituency. We all know that Margaret is slave to alcohol. While we appreciate her academic qualifications and her achievements, Margaret has proved that she is a disgrace to herself, her family, the PF and government. This is someone who has failed to control her appetite for alcohol to an extent that she does not mind going on national television belegede. This Margaret has not done anything worth talking about in Lusaka Central during the last five years she has been a Member of Parliament to justify her adoption.

Beyond what the surface suggests, there is a methodical scheme that has been set in motion by some PF power hungry cabals whose eyes are fixed on who takes over from Edgar Lungu after he completes his 2021 term, if they win power.

Edgar Lungu will not have any control over who takes over from him in 2026. While many people think President Lungu has played his cards right, to the contrary, he has been played by the very elements he has chosen to surround himself. In 2026, President Lungu will not be eligible to run for office and his choice of running mate Nkandu Luo will be too aged. The PF will need to choose another person to preside over them. This explains why PF Secretary General Davis Mwila in partnership with many other elements ensured that certain individuals were eliminated from the corridors of power and replaced by characters whom they can control at will.

Those who have clean reputations and are not prone to be compromised by these power-hungry jackals have been targets of purging through a rigorous partnership. This explains vividly why Vincent Mwale, Sylvia Chalikosa, Brian Mushimba, Martin Malama and many others have been purged from PF in a manner that most people have questioned.

It is not a secret that a very good number of PF senior officials have soiled reputations. Many of them are known crooks, bandits, corrupt mafias who have no respect for public property and resources. If you get Ronald Chitotela and Vincent Mwale and ask people to choose who should be their leader, Vincent would win with a land slide. Why? Because while you may have second thoughts with trusting Ronald with simple lions or a black lechwes, Vincent on the other hand has proved that he has respect for public resources and that he is honest.

If you get Chitalu Chilufya and Brian Mushimba and ask people to choose who should be their leader, absolutely, people will choose Brian. Why? Because while you can’t guarantee that Chitalu will purchase condoms that are fit for public use, you can rely on Brian to take the interest of people at heart. Yet, PF saw it fit to eliminate Vincent and Brian, and replaced them with elements whose characters are very questionable.

You can get as many people who have been adopted in PF today and compare them to Vincent or indeed any of those who have be purged, you will still have no one trustworthy with a reputation to lead any sane society.

These cabals in PF realized that when Edgar Lungu hangs his boots, there will be a fight to replace him. They are not prepared to have people with clean reputations around them because such will outshine them. This explains why some of the most trusted persons were not adopted and replaced with crooks.

We have no doubts whatsoever that Davis Mwila and his sycophants looked beyond now when they ganged up against trustworthy individuals in their Central Committee. We know Freedom Sikazwe, Mumbi Phiri, Davis Mwila, Kennedy Kamba and many others ganged up to purge the most trusted people in PF. They knew about the choice of Edgar Lungu for a running mate and they foresaw that at some point, they will fight for who should lead them. Those who have been given adoptions will have to pay back by supporting the choice of the Luapula United clique. Most of the adopted candidates are weak people whom the Luapula United clique will easily control.

Perhaps, it explains why PF has adopted a slave of alcohol against a principled and upright person like Charity.

The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has announced that the filing of nominations for aspiring candidates for the August 12, 2021 general elections will run from 17th to 20th May 2021.

ECZ Chief Electoral Officer Kryticous Nshindano disclosed that only presidential nominations will run for four days while other positions such as parliamentary and mayoral or council chairpersonship will each run for a day.

Mr. Nshindano indicated that the presidential nominations will be done at Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka under ECZ Chairperson Esau Chulu aS the returning officer.

He said the filing of nominations for national assembly and councils will take place in respective districts countrywide.

He revealed that each of the four days will accommodatE five political parties in filing their nominations for presidential candidates.

The first to file in will be President Edgar Lungu of the Patriotic Front (PF) on May 17, 2021 while Hakainde Hichilema of the United Party for National Development (UPND) will file his on May 19, 2021.

Dr. Trevor Mwamba of the United National Independence Party (UNIP) will also file on May 17 while Nevers Mumba of the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) will file his nomination on May 20, 2021. The rest of the other presidential candidates will follow suit on their respective dates and time.

A total of 20 candidates paid nomination fees to take part in the presidential elections on august 12, 2021 general elections.

Mr. Nshindano has since urged aspiring candidates to ensure that all necessary nomination documentation as provided for by ECZ checklist are in place.

“With reference to the calendar, we will start receiving nominations for all electable officers starting tomorrow as follows; presidential candidates will commence tomorrow May 17 to May 20 2021, national assembly, 17 May 2021, mayoral and council chairperson May 18, 2021, while councilors will file in their nominations on May 19, 2021,” Mr. Nshindano announced.

He added that all other nominations will take place in respective districts.

Mr. Nshindano has therefore advised the participating candidates in the different elections apart from the presidential nominations to proceed to their respective districts.

On the schedule for the pre-processing of supporters for presidential candidates, Mr. Nshindano disclosed that a total of 20 presidential candidates paid their nomination fees.

He however noted that out of the 20 aspiring presidential candidates, only 15 have completed the pre-processing of supporters across the country, leaving five who are expected to complete the process in due time.

“Among the incomplete includes Felix Mutati of the Movement for Democratic Congress, Peter Chanda of New Congress Party, Masuwa Kalabi, who is standing as Independent, Neson Musoni of All Congress Party and lastly Lazarus Chisela of Zambia United for Sustainable Development,” he listed.

Mr. Nshindano further advised the candidates who have not completed the process to avail the remaining supporters to Lusaka, beginning May 17 to May 20, 2021 as they file their nominations.

THE Chief Electoral Officer said the affirmation of those who drop out of the race will be confirmed after the nomination process, but reiterated that the nomination fees are non-refundable.

And ECZ Legal Counsel Bob Musenga cautioned independent candidates not to affiliate themselves to other political parties during campaigns.

Mr. Musenga encouraged them to pick a symbol from ECZ which currently has about 20 cyphers on their list.

“There is a guiding provision under our laws for independent candidates. As the name entails, an independent candidate should have no affiliation to any political party because if that were the case, then it would be a serious anomaly.

He stressed that an independent candidate cannot associate themselves with other political parties by way of party regalia as provided by the ECZ law under article one, which demands independent parties to have their own symbol.

By Chilufya Tayali
I DON’T THINK PRESIDENT LUNGU IS SO CONFIDENT ABOUT HIS NOMINATION KNOWING SANGWA IS WAITING FOR HIM, WHILE HH IS PRAYING FOR HIS DISQUALIFICATION
=====================
I don’t hate President Lungu but truth be told, he faces a big hurdle before we even talk about how many votes he will pour, because his eligibility hangs in a balance and if Judges don’t save him, he won’t be on the ballot.

Maybe……, instead of looking for a running-mate he should look for one to run as President and he becomes the running-mate himself. In my view this could be a workable solution than risking losing the petition because it will drag PF down.

A loss at the Concourt will not only be for President Lungu but the entire PF and they will find it difficult to come back and claim victory.

Someone was asking me to discuss the judgement of the Dan Pule, but I am not interested in that, that judgement did not declare President Lungu ELIGIBLE and the judges were very careful.

All legal minds with an objective standpoint, including the New LAZ President have stated that that judgement did not declare President Lungu ELIGIBLE and I agree with them.

I have given many analogies on this but allow me to give you another one.

It is said that, Bees only sting once and when they do they die after sometime though they may fly away after stinging a person. This is their nature, that is how they were created.

So let us imagine Scientists come up with solution to that, whereby they are supposed to feed bees some medication which after they take it and they sting someone, they wouldn’t die.

But one Bee stings a person before taking the medicine, because it has not been launched, however, as it is flying away, the medication is launched and it quickly takes the medication, do you think that Bee will survive?

Certainly not, because the medication is supposed to be taken before the sting and not after.

In the last Constitution, there was no three years for one to count a term, the moment you are sworn in (like a sting of a Bee) you are done, it is counted as once (like a Bee it dies ).

President Lungu was sworn-in in the old constitution, and immediately that was done, it was counted as a term. However, like the Scientists who had found a solution to the Bees, there was a draft constitution, which brought in the 3 years to qualify as a term.

President Lungu signed that draft to make it a law, like Scientists launching the medicine to keep the Bees alive even after a sting.

The problem is, President Lungu had already counted ONE term as per the old constitution, like the Bee which stung before taking the medicine. Therefore President Lungu already had a term before the new constitution and since he was elected in 2016, again, he already have two terms🤷‍♂️.

Sorry but this is just the fact and my friends in PF know this but they have no courage to tell the Boss, instead they are busy intimidating some of us making things worse.

Don’t blame me, maybe God wanted it this way to give us another surprise of who becomes the next President, who knows it could be HH or Sean Tembo, or Given Lubinda, or Chitotela, or Kampyongo, or MatibiniI…….

Anyway, my agenda is Mayoralship for Lusaka, I will go with whatever comes out of the Concourt. Please give me your vote, so that I can be objective and work for you.

President is actually supposed to file in his nominations today at 09:00hrs and that is the problem because he can’t replace himself.

TAYALI THE MARRIED MAYOR, FAMILIES MUST COME FIRST!

EEP – ICHALO BANTU!

ZAMBIA MUST BE OWNED BY ZAMBIANS!

Microsoft founder Bill Gates had an ‘inappropriate’ sexual relationship with a female staff member in 2000, and resigned while an investigation into the relationship was being investigated by the company board.

The affair came to light after the Microsoft employee wrote to the board in 2019 detailing the affair – and allegedly asked that Gates’ estranged wife Melinda Gates, 56, read the letter.

Gates, 65, quit the board suddenly in March 2020 while the investigation was still underway.

The Microsoft board decided that Gates should step down after the relationship was deemed to be ‘inappropriate’, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Gates left the board of Berkshire Hathaway on the same day.

The same day Gates quit Microsoft he also announced he was stepping down from his position with the board of Berkshire Hathaway, run by his friend Warren Buffet.

In a press release the tech mogul said he would continue to serve as a technical adviser to Chief Executive Satya Nadella.

A Microsoft spokesman told the Wall Street Journal: ‘Microsoft received a concern in the latter half of 2019 that Bill Gates sought to initiate an intimate relationship with a company employee in the year 2000.

‘A committee of the Board reviewed the concern, aided by an outside law firm to conduct a thorough investigation. Throughout the investigation, Microsoft provided extensive support to the employee who raised the concern.’

A spokeswoman for Gates said his decision to leave the board had nothing to do with the affair.

‘There was an affair almost 20 years ago which ended amicably.’

The spokeswoman told the Journal his ‘decision to transition off the board was in no way related to this matter. In fact, he had expressed an interest in spending more time on his philanthropy starting several years earlier.’

The revelations of Gates’ extra-marital affair, the first time he has admitted cheating on his estranged wife, came within hours of two separate bombshell reports on the unraveling of their marriage.

The New York Times revealed on Sunday how Gates asked two women who worked at Microsoft and his philanthropic foundation out on dates while still married to Melinda.

Melinda, who now goes by Melinda French Gates, was also upset at the way allegations of sexual harassments against Michael Larson, one of Gates’ key lieutenants and the manager of his personal fortune, were handled.

Meanwhile, The Daily Beast revealed Gates sought marriage advice from convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein during dozens of meetings at his $77 million Manhattan townhouse between 2011 and 2014, far more than had previously been reported.

Gates told Epstein his marriage to Melinda was ‘toxic’, which both men found funny, according to the report.

Gates suggested Epstein become involved with the couple’s philanthropic organization and ‘rehabilitate his image’ after his 2008 conviction for soliciting a minor for prostitution, according to a person who attended the meetings.

Gates’ visits to Epstein’s ‘lair’ was an escape from the marriage, according to the source, who said the pair ‘were very close’.

Bill and Melinda Gates, one of the world’s richest couples with a fortune of $130billion, announced this month they were getting divorced, with Melinda saying the marriage is ‘irretrievably broken’ in divorce filings.

The Times reported that Gates asked out a Microsoft employee in 2006 after watching her make a presentation.

‘If this makes you uncomfortable, pretend it never happened,’ Gates emailed the employee, according to the Times.

The woman took his advice and Gates’ advance didn’t materialize into anything physical.

A couple of years later, Gates asked out an employee with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

The pair were in New York for a work trip, when he told her: ‘I want to see you. Will you have dinner with me?’

The woman told the Times the approach made her feel uncomfortable, but she laughed it off.

The report said there was no expectation that the women would suffer professional repercussions for spurning Gates’ advances.

It’s not clear whether Melinda Gates, who met Bill at Microsoft in the late 1980s, was aware of her husband’s advances.

Melinda also stepped in after Michael Larsen, the man who has overseen the enormous expansion of Gates’ personal fortune through an investment vehicle Cascade Investment, was accused of sexual harassment.

In 2017, a person wrote to Bill and Melinda to complain that Larson was harassing a female staff member at a bicycle shop part-owned by a venture capital firm Rally Capital, owned by the former married couple.

The woman reached a settlement in 2018, signing a non-disclosure agreement and receiving a payout.

However, Melinda was not happy with the outcome and ordered an independent investigation.

According to the New York Times, Larson was placed on leave during the investigation but was reinstated and still leads Cascade Investments.

The tipping point though appears to have been revelations about Gates’ close ties to Jeffrey Epstein, which caught Melinda by surprise when they were first reported in October 2019.

Their friendship began in 2011, three years after Epstein had pleaded guilty to soliciting prostitution from a minor.

The Daily Beast reported on Sunday that the pair had met ‘dozens of times’ at Epstein’s palatial $77m townhouse on Manhattan’s Upper East Side between 2011 and 2014 – far more than had previously been known. -Daily Mai

2 ‘Presidents’ perform comedy act at ECZ Centre

The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) presidential nomination centre was yesterday turned into something between a circus and a comedy club when two opposition party ‘presidents’ appeared for their pre-nominations exercise of processing supporters.

First on the stage for his comical act was ‘President’ Masuwa Kalabi an independent presidential candidate.

When President Kalabi arrived at the nomination center at his allocated time of 12:00 hours, because of the dusty shoes caused by his walking mileage, guards and staff mistook him for a Mulungushi Centre cleaner until he produced his NRC and voters card and demanded to be processed as a presidential candidate.

However, the act got sorrowfully funnier when ECZ asked for President Kalabi’s 100 supporters.

Without any supporter in sight, Kalabi left the Mulungushi imposing front gate onto Great East Road where he walked from East Park through Arcades to Manda Hill begging anyone who had ears to escort him to Mulungushi and even just for five minutes pretend to be his supporters.

However, due to his not-so-presidential looks, no one took him seriously with some teenagers giggling and asking him where he had hidden his discharge slip from Chainama Hospital.

Frustrated, President Kalabi marcopolod his way back to the nomination centre and announced that he was no longer interested in going to State House.

Exhausted and sweaty, he assisted himself to free groundnuts and a water provided by ECZ before leaving.

However, if any ECZ staff thought they had watched the last episode of the show, they were wrong as Kalabi reappeared at 16:30 hours, 30 minutes before closing with white VVTI Toyota Corolla staffed with 9 people, himself inclusive, and told ECZ that he was now ready and would be ferrying supporters.

He left the 8 supporters and returned to collect the remaining 82 in the same corolla.

However, at UNZA bus station, traffic cops impounded the corrola for not having road tax, insurance and an unlicensed driver.

This calamity forced President Kalabi to walk back to Mulungushi and beg ECZ to extend the closing time to today so that he can negotiate with police to release the taxi and it’s driver so that they could ferry supporters; a request ECZ granted him.

Not to be outdone by a new comedian, another ‘President’ also leaped on the stage and performed.

Nasoni Msoni of All Peoples Congress (APC) also failed to raise supporters.

After sending his aide to buy him K10 airtime and make So Che minutes for him, he frantically made calls to people to come and support him but everyone said they were on the way.

Tail between legs, he also went to ECZ and asked to be booked today to allow his busload of supporters make its long journey from Kabwata to Mulungushi; he too was granted the extension.

Later, President Msoni spoke to the media and offered to make an alliance with PF on grounds that he is given some ministerial positions for his excutive members as he had supporters to help PF win.

When asked which supporters he would bring to PF since he couldn’t even manage 100 for his nomination, he said they were a lot and were just delayed from Kabwata from morning till 17 00 hours.

©Kalemba

By Petersen Zagaze
SIMUNJI IS THE BEST ADOPTION FOR NALIKWANDA CONSTITUENCY…

I will speak in my own individual capacity.

If psychogical manipulations, propaganda and tricks weren’t part of politics, I would be fooled and naive to be convinced to think we all as aspiring candidates equally stood a chance to get that adoption over Mr. Simunji.

To start with, the adoption was not about Nalikwanda Constituency residents or voters choosing who should represent the party but the adoption was based on the desires and wants of ward structures and Constituency committee etc. The adoption was based on who was most preferable from ward to provincial through the party’s constituency office and officials at the district. All these relevant Individuals holding party posts were looking for a candidate that actually had a more sound working relationship with the structures. Someone they are convinced they can work with and win against Honorable G. Luangwangwa.

Apart from a few ward committees who preferred differently, Mr Simunji topped the outcomes at Ward and Constituency elections, Why? Because I honestly feel he did ‘exactly’ what the wards deemed necessary to be done and full filled by anyone who needs an adoption certificate to contest the Nalikwanda seat. This was evident from similarity of the voting pattern between ward committee members and those at the Constituency level.

The man had more votes in Nalikwanda itself, he only staggered at district committee voting outcome, and faced a little turbulances when it reached the provincial but still was a force to reckon with. Yes! Many things happened in Nalikwanda that’s why it was one of the Constituencies that were announced late. However, with all that drama and politics at hand Mr. Simunji was a master who strived to accomplish his preferred outcome.

Congralutations once more big man!

As for me, I faced politics itself from the structures. Atleast I was lucky before I hit the ground, one knowledgeable national youth official was real and truthful enough to educate me about the possible outcome likely to be produced by the structures in a constituency like Nalikwanda. He stated despite the love and support from the people and voters in general, the decision for adoption was not for all residents but the party structures with power to decide who is to be.

Why I am here and not adopted:

1. I decided to seek for adoption on the UPND quite late, when the organizational structures had already decided the battle was between the three long serving party members (Sibote, Sikufele & Simunji). It is always wise to serve the party more longer, die a little and show commitment to convince significant members you are in for real.

2. My competitors had done a lot in helping formation of the now new existing party structures. Who evidently demonstrated I was new and stranger to them through the few numbers of votes they threw my way. Thank you Namengo ward for giving the most votes amongst other wards, I will never forget. One day I will find a way to show my gratitude.

3. I campaigned to structures that had candidates of their choice on their minds, already arrived at during the intraparty elections. So the adoption process was a time of payback and committees or candidates were literally sizing up each other, in the quest to pick a candidate of choice the populace on the ground preferred. This made me be the only candidate who received votes from all words.

4. I was kept in the dark without any information of elections outcome from wards by constituency officials. I was not accorded a chance to own election agents and was practically denied access and blocked from being interviewed at any phases including the provincial.

5. During this whole process, I have been ignored by all party officials including people I talk to before I announced I was seeking adoption from party, apart from the regular check ups by one Romeo Kangombe. Thank you Comrade

6. Unveiling myself for adoption on the last minutes wasn’t a favoring norm.

IN SHORT, THE PARTY AND IT’S STRUCTURES REJECTED ME. And no one can force acceptance where there is ‘total’ rejection in every possible way. I now know the meaning of ku wire 😂🤣

But Kamudala keve ka Simunji did his homework as preferred by the powers that be, let us accept and move on.

We are not dead, we are still alive and kicking. This is the time to continue politicking in the best way possible.

ECZ Nominations are on monday…..

Pyeee!