We shall be on ballot paper, vows Malanji
By Kombe Mataka
WE shall be on the ballot paper or this election is not going to take off, vows Joseph Malanji.
The Bonanza just like his Kabushi counterpart Bowman Lusambo had his nomination rejected by the Electoral Commission of Zambia “for having caused the nullification” of his election as Kwacha PF member of parliament on August 12, 2021.
But Malanji told the ECZ officials that, “we will meet in court.”
“I have rejected your nomination in accordance with Article 72 (4) [of the Constitution,” the ECZ nomination officer informed Malanji.
In response, Malanji told the ECZ officials that he was aware that they would reject his
nomination.
“…how do you cause nullification? The Article which is being cited in the Constitution it is either a candidate who was cited was heavily involved in violence whatsoever, the gravity to which even
the court would say that this person was really the causer for this nullification and it is from that premise that they can nullify the
seat and also disqualify the candidate but as for now this is an attack on democracy,” said Malanji. “This government is only one year in office. They are supposed to display their prowess as they promised when they were
campaigning. It is very unfortunate but one thing I can assure is we shall be on the ballot paper. This election is not going to take
off until our names are on the ballot paper.”
His campaign manager Alexander Chiteme said ECZ was creating wounds that would not be healed.
Malanji was later joined by PF spokesperson Raphael Nakacinda and PF party vice chairperson for mobilisation Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba as they interacted with his supporters.
Shortly before he went to file in nominations, Malanji said the UPND’s craftiness was a temporal setback for him and that he would challenge the matter in court.
“Bonanza will be back in power,” he said as he taunted Copperbelt UPND chairman Elisha Matambo and UPND candidate Bernard Kanengo with a barrage of innuendos.
Malanji alleged that he was aware that State House was controlling everything.
He called on his supporters to respect police officers who were also “facing challenging times”.
Earlier, a mixture of a sombre and devastating mood characterised Lubuto Secondary School yesterday after an ECZ official announced to a highly expectant delegation of PF officials that had accompanied Lusambo to file in nominations that he did not qualify to recontest the Kabushi seat.
ECZ set August 25 as day for nominations for the Kabushi and Kwacha constituencies parliament by-elections as well as the Luangwa council chairperson by-election.
On Wednesday, the ECZ in a statement advised interested stakeholders that in line with article 72(4) of the Constitution
amendment Act No 2of 2016 it would not accept nominations from any candidate who caused a vacancy in the National
Assembly or local government elections.
The PF however ignored the ECZ position and proceeded to the nomination centre at Lubuto Secondary school where they were escorted by hundreds of supporters mostly women in a bid to file in nominations
for the Kabushi by-election slated for September 15.
The by-election follows the decision by the Constitutional Court to uphold the judgment of the High Court which nullified the
election of Lusambo as MP on August 12, 2021.
After Lusambo presented his papers and paid nomination fee, ECZ officials then announced that his nomination was invalid as he
was the subject of the nullification of the election by the court much to the shock of his campaign team.
“We are done. Your papers in terms of qualification are okay. Unfortunately, you do not qualify according to 72 section 4 of the
Constitution in terms of the nullification of the seat that you are running for. You are not qualified to stand. In that case this nomination is invalid. We regret to announce to you that your nomination is invalid but we are doing this according to the law,”
the ECZ officer informed Lusambo as a supporter urged the bulldozer not to cry. “We would like to encourage as you go out there, let us avoid violence but if you have any questions, you can ask.”
At that point former PF secretary general Davies Mwila advised the team to leave the room saying it was clear ECZ would not receive Lusambo’s nomination papers.
“…so take this application go,” Mwila told Lusambo.
Lusambo thanked the ECZ officials before storming out of the centre.
“The game is still on,” Lusambo told journalists before he conferred with senior PF officials who included former agriculture minister Michael Katambo, Mporokoso PF member of parliament Brian Mundubile, party spokesperson Raphael Nakacinda and former mines minister Richard Musukwa.
Asked what he thought about the decision by the ECZ, Lusambo’s campaign manager Katambo said: “…he does qualify according to me as an ordinary citizen. Whichever way you describe me as a former
minister or what, he qualifies because the court did not say he does not qualify. So if the Constitution has prevailed, no one is above the law. We will follow what the Constitution says,” he said.
When further probed on whether PF would field another candidate, Katamba responded angrily, “…how can there be a candidate when you have disqualified the candidate?”