THE Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has set November 19, 2009 as the date for the Solwezi Central Constituency by-election following the death of area Member of Parliament, Benny Tetamashimba last month.
ECZ senior public relations officer, Sylvia Bwalya announced in a statement in Lusaka yesterday that the Solwezi Central parliamentary by-elections would take place alongside three local Government by-elections in three provinces.
The local government seats are Katete in Chienge District in Luapula Province, Nakulenga in Zambezi District in North-Western Province and Kauba in Pemba in Southern Province.
Ms Bwalya said that aspiring candidates in the by-elections should lodge in completed and attested statutory declaration and nomination papers on October 29, 2009 between 09:00 and 15:00 hours.
She reminded the aspirants for the parliamentary by-ections to take nine supporters who should be registered voters within the constituency.
The parliamentary candidates would also be required to pay K500, 000 non- refundable nomination fee while those for municipal council by elections would be required to pay K75, 000 and K50, 000 for those in district local authorities.
The campaign period starts on October 29 at 15:00 and ends on November 18 at 18:00 hours.
Ms Bwalya urged the non-governmental organisations wishing to monitor or observe the elections to apply for accreditation from the ECZ, which is open until November 10, 2009.
[Times of Zambia]
Eish!! the money wasted on by elections can go along way e.g building the needed hospitals and schools.
Currently the Government (MMD) is focusing on Kasama by elections, and then they will turn to Solwezi by elections!!! Please change the constitution, Zambia can’t afford this electro system!!!! My heart bleeds for Zambia
we hav got no choice but to spend on these elections. MMD will clap this seat and the pact arrangement will win the kasama elections
Badala, this liberal democracy is too expensive and of no use for us. I cant think of any value which one more MP will bring to our lives even to the people of solwezi. You know what i think just leave the seat vacant untill 2011. we will lose nothing. The only good thing with these byelections is that my many friends who are party cadres find something to do and earn some much needed income, though unfortunately most of it spent on booz.
Im tired of these by election too. Why cant the government choose just a specific day lets say once in 2.5 yrs. the money used in campaign is so much. For the past 18yrs the GRZ has spent more time on party issues that  ppls on lives.Â
These by-elections are just becoming money making ventures. They are now like foreign trips. Neighbouring MPs can act until election day. Get rid of by-elections please.
Why are you pipo complaining about by elections. That is the cost of democracy. It will be interesting to see who the MMD will settle for in Solwezi Central. Thare are strong speculations that a former top cop is on the line up with the likes of Tedyy Mulonga etc. MMD should not take Solwezi by elections for granted. PF-UPND have made headways and there is strong Copperbelt mentality already in Solwezi urban. We are waiting to see how the MMD and opposition will paly their cards. Pipo of Solwezi be careful its not a question of voting for names and those who talk loud and clear but those who talk lower but think deep and deliver on their campaign promises. The MMD only interest is not development but to maintain the numbers in parliament nothing else. Dont be cheated wake up Solwezi.
Ba Nzolo i will also contest
Please note that Solwezi was a strong hold of UPND things changed only after the Mwananjiti and Sejani brought the GBM formula .And now things have again changed the MMD lost some ward by elections in Solwezi( UPND got 100% in solwezi except in Mufumbwe where they shared with MMD equally) and for your information the UPND got 90% of the by elections held a month ago that is from Southern 100% Central 100% and North western 90% .Watch out Solwezi central I’m almost 95% sure The PF-UPND will get it as long as they do not bring a stupid GBM formula.
Fellow bloggers, Im GBM from Kasama Central bye election, I wish to state once again that only a Bemba should be voted for in Kasama and not a Tumbuka like Mugala who is from Isoka near Malawi. I will also support only a Kaonde for the Solwezi Central seat, this is because Solwezi is for the Kaondes and Southern Province for the Tongas. So do you still call me tribal? Viva PF/UPND in Kasama Central with a Bemba, Vivaaa. Viva MMD in Solwezi Central with a Kaonde Viva, Vivaaa. Go and stand where you come from. Thos who are not for this idea have no trace back of their homes. Dudes
# 9 to hell with your GBM formular which you want to inroduce to Solwezi Central. That place is urban and its development is due to pipo from many places who have settled there. Any one suitable wther from East, West, South or North can stand so long that person will deliver to the expectation of the stakeholders. Its the backward thinking that if am from Zambezi or Lundazi I cant stand in Solwezi central. that is madness. There are many pipo who have settled in Solwezi after offering good services to the locals and they understand the situation better so why not accord chance on merit. Even for Kasama Central Burton is a better choice, than man instead of investing in Muyombe opted for Kasama and that is the truth. Solwezi can even try Patel or a Muyunda or Gondwe etc. We need quality.
Good. I await to see how they chose the candidates. The dram has just began
#11, bAINVESTIGATOR, I didnot see your serious reaction when the item first came in the Kasama incidence! Are you new on the blog? Or may be when GBM said what he did, it was unity for the Bemba and now Solwezi is developed by pipo from other places and Kasama only by Bembas, is this your point at hand? Donot be like the Post that only sees wrong in MMD and reports nothing on GBM’s repeated tribal remarks. Even Sata is equally silent. Tribal is across all the tribes. It is never UNITY when practiced by the Bembas who are more trbal to the BONES. I EXTREMELY DISAPPROVED YOUR MEANINGLESS POSTING. Who says it is only trbalism when it leaves Northern or Luapula Provinces. And who says it is unity in the 2 provinces? UPND and your HH be careful with this PF id!0+s
Infact its the weaker men and women who have been residing in Lusaka and the likes who are spoilers. Some have been detached off from their home villages for more than 20years and cant compete in Luska, Kitwe, Ndola etc where they reside and opt for rural constituencies coz of tribe. That is reason you find that these mercenary MPs trek between Lusaka and rural areas by the time term is over no meaningful development. Look and men pipo like Lubinda, Scott, Sinyangwe they stand where there is stiff competition and win. I survey in Solwezi reveals that most of the guys doing ok are not local Kaondes be it in civil service or business circles. With the opening of mines, Solwezi Central needs a sharp MP who can bring all stakeholders and foster development other wise it will remain like that.
Correction#10, bAINVESTIGATOR, I didnot see your serious reaction when the item first came in the Kasama incidence! Are you new on the blog? Or may be when GBM said what he did, it was unity for the Bemba and now Solwezi is developed by pipo from other places and Kasama only by Bembas, is this your point at hand? Donot be like the Post that only sees wrong in MMD and reports nothing on GBM’s repeated tribal remarks. Even Sata is equally silent. Tribal is across all the tribes. It is never UNITY when practiced by the Bembas who are more trbal to the BONES. I EXTREMELY DISAPPROVED YOUR MEANINGLESS POSTING. Who says it is only trbalism when it leaves Northern or Luapula Provinces. And who says it is unity in the 2 provinces? UPND and your HH be careful with this PF id!0+s
#12 I did react to GBM formular and I have always and will be against tribalism. I can identify one with a tribe but at the end of the day I look at what one can contribute to mother Zambia. If our brothers and sisters in Kasama are goingto vote on tribal lines or wako ni wako then it wil be unfortunate coz as years pass by alot of civil servants will opt to live after retirement in those areas they have served for many years as such they will not relocate to their original places coz factors would have changed. In that case can you call such as foreigners. Mwinilunga has seen development to some extent as a result of White Missioneries, Imbundus, Luvales, Chokwes, Nyasas, Congolese etc who settled among the Lundas and introduced many new things during late 19th & 20th centuries. No query
# 9 Zambia is slowly becoming what KK forsaw a long time ago through One Zambia, One Nation slogan. There is so many intermarriages today and migrations so the issue of who comes where is somehow nonsencical. We should look at abilities to propel development in respective areas and not tribes. We should look at who stays where in regards to anspirants in relation to how they acquaint themselves with problems facing those areas they want to represent. Nowadays it is very common to show where you come from thru NRCs but no actual village on the ground or anything to show that you lived where u claim to have come from. It is only sipmle minds that will foolishly continue relishing on tribal lines and not greater minds. Vote for residents and not tyran tribalists or opportunists
INVESTIGATOR????? When did the Mines open in Solwezi to warranty your comments Mr Investigator? Which Provincial centre has no civil service in Zambia or anywhere in the world? Your posting is really cheap and doesnot reflect the issues on the ground. What Solwezi needs is almost as what Kasama needs,right? If Kasama only needs a Bemba according to GBM, the Solwezi needs a Kaonde according to GBM aBemba posting #9. I grre with him. If Im to AGRRE with you MR INVESTIGATOR, please CONDEMN WHAT GBM said in Kasama on RADIO MANO, and I quote ‘Only a Bemba should be voted for in Kasama, Mr Mugala is from Miyombe in Isoka district near Malawi. He is actually a relative to Thadiwe Banda the First lady, that is why he was adopted’ end of quote. Did you condendemn this MR INVESTIGATOR? U never…
INVESTIGATOR, You sound intersting in the latest posting #15. Look at the 2008 Presidential bye election! Was there tralism in the way we voted? For example on the part of MMD candidate, PF candidate and UPND? Give it a very serious thougt and be very real with yourself as you answer. Dont you think the UPND/PF pact are just trying to double tribalism in order to get to plot1? Lets be real hereMr Investigator. I only hope you are not blogging from Zamtel. Get ot work. Im at Iconnect one of the ISP in ZED.
Whatever you say bane, who is abetter of two main contenders GBM & BM? Make a judgement on your own. GBM is known to say anything depending on the situation and I have sat with the man face to face. As for burton I remember him as a footballer at Ndola United when I was young during the 70’s &80’s to be more specific. I do not condone the notion that Kasama is for Bemba and Solwezi should be for Kaondes. That is unaccaptable. Any one who is a capable member of MMD, PF, UPND, UNIP etc and happens to meet the minimum requirements shoould be allowed to stand if adopted. For those who are doubting my origanality well am a Zambian and did my secondary education at Solwezi and was the likes of current Chiefs Kanongesha, Mumena, Musele etc. Tribal politics out Zambia for o especially urban…
Investigator, I went to Solwezi Boys too. Of course you were with my elder brother Col Masonga in ZAF Livingstone. Back to politics, what you saying is true on paper and by the schooled like yourself. Look at the pipo in location Area of Kasama and those in Mushitala in Solwezi. Do you think they will agree with your posting? Worse still which Chief in Kasama or Solwezi would allow a Lozi or Nsenga to stand the 2 Constituencies respetively. Which Chief? Kapijiompanga of Chitimukulu? Can the Litunga allow a Tumbuka in Mongu Central or Mpezeni allowing a Kaonde in Chipata Central. Donot Compare the Cosmo areas like Lusaka, Kitwe, Ndola to Provincial centres my bigman. What you are saying is true tho. Tkae time, GBM has just broken the SILENCY in many of the Zambia you included. OMG! Amen
In Solwezi, the PF-UPND pact will do well to field a Kaonde candidate. Otherwise the pact will stand no chance. In Solwezi tribal feelings run very high. I am praying very hard that MMD loses the Solwezi Central constituency seat.
Lekeni Sata ateke!
Things will be done differently and with better results!
I’VE DECIDED, BA SATA BA GRADE 4 KUTI BATEKA SHANI PANTU NEMBWA KUTI BAFILWA. LEKENI BATEKEKO BAWISHI LIMBI.
My comment is simple, vote for the pact.