STATEMENT ON INDEPENDENT CANDIDATES

15 May 2021

Our-Civic-Duty Association (OCiDA) wishes to appeal to those who have not been adopted by their political parties, and have decided to stand as Independent Candidates for the 12 August elections, to publicly resign from being members of their political parties before filing in their nominations with the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ).

Article 51(a) of the Republican Constitution states that “A person is eligible for election as an independent candidate for a National Assembly seat if the person is not a member of a political party and has not been a member of a political party for at least two months immediately before the date of the election”.

During the 2016 elections, those who stood as Independent Candidates after losing adoption by their parties, breached the Republican Constitution when they stood as such without relinquishing their membership in the party.

By accepting the nomination of Independent Candidates who were members of political parties the ECZ also abrogated this provision of the Constitution.

During the 2016 elections, some of those Independent Candidates were even using political party campaign materials. This demonstrated that they were still members of those political parties, although they had stood as Independent Candidates.

We are appealing to the ECZ to strictly adhere to the provisions of the Republican Constitution in this year’s elections. The ECZ should not allow members of political parties to file in nominations as Independent Candidates, unless those candidates have publicly announced that they are not anymore members of political parties.

Issued: Simon Kalolo Kabanda

Administrative Secretary