Patriotic Front leader Michael Sata has welcomed the reduction in the nomination fee for presidential candidates. The Electoral Commission announced yesterday that it had reduced the nomination fee from K20 million Kwacha to K10 million following consultations with stakeholders.
Mr. Sata however states that despite the fact that more people will be able to participate in the presidential elections in 2011 following the reduction in the nomination fee, Zambians know who is a real leader and who is not.
He says though this intervention might lead to fears of vote splinting, it is better because more people will be attracted to participate in the presidential election and not just flooding the parliamentary race.
However, United Party for National Development (UPND) Spokesperson CHARLES KAKOMA has said that the reduction of the presidential nomination fees will increase the number of presidential candidates thereby splitting the votes.
Mr. KAKOMA however said that the reduction will give an opportunity to small parties and the less privileged to contest the 2011 general elections.
And MMD Chairman Michael Mabenga said that the revision of nomination fees is welcome as this will allow several candidates to participate in the election. Mr Mabenga said that the reduction in nomination fees will allow all aspirants meet the nomination fees.
And Committee of Citizens Executive Director Gregory Chifire said the move is in the best interest of democracy. Mr. Chifire told ZNBC News that the move by the ECZ will afford poor citizens an opportunity to vie for the office of the Presidency. Mr. Chifire has however expressed fear that having so many Presidential candidates will only confuse voters and divide votes.
And MMD Copperbelt Province Youth Chairman Evans Chibanda said the development will accord many Zambians chance to run for the Presidency.
But, opposition Patriotic Front PF Spokesperson Given Lubinda challenged the ECZ to explain the rationale behind the reduction in the nomination fees. Mr. Lubinda said the commission should have taken time to address critical issues such as the allocation of air time to political leaders on public media institutions.
Meanwhile, Alliance for Democratic Development -ADD President Charles Milupi says his party is not affected by the reduction of nomination fees. Mr. Milupi said that Zambians will have the challenge of selecting the presidential candidate. The New Generation Party (NGP) has also welcomed the reduction of the nominations fees.
Electoral Commission of Zambia(ECZ) announced the reduction of presidential nomination fees for the 2011 general elections from 20 million to 10 million kwacha.
….follow the leader!
Ha! ha! haaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. whose idea is this by the way? is it out of good faith or there is something fishing? anyway good for all of us even the poor of Yahweh to participate. But not like bene Magande mbwaakkuta nsima he thinks he can start a part.
spell- check ba LT. It’s ‘nods’ and not ‘nodes.’ Nodes are fleshy swellings e.g. lymph nodes
I find myself in consent with Michael Sata on this ECZ move. Democracy cannot be a preserve of the rich only but every every interested and constitituionally qualifying citizen.This fosters a spirit of democracy for all, unihibited competition and choice. Democracy cannot be democracy until it is for all and not just the rich. Let us choose from thousands in 2011. I hope even internet parties like that of my friend Henry Kyasumbalesa and all armchair critics on these blogs will now have no excuse to run for presidency. Its good that President Banda has even invited electoral observers at home and from around the world.
Turn your armchair critic blogobogio into open leadership now by forming your own parties and running for Presidency. Do not waste your time with closed shops not open to intraparty democracy and competition.
Any chance of getting the picture above airbrushed? My mbuya uncle looks more bogeyman than statesman.
This is NOT a good Move to reduce for by doing so there will be too many unnecessary political parties. For one to have a political party someone should have a particular amount of money. State house is not a place where people should be going to get rich because that leads to abuse of office and corruption. For us to have genuine leaders we need people with a good amount of money already and a good income. where have a brief case party how will they campaign. Lets learn something from Western Countries.
Sata nodes…Well done LT, another blooper!!
If a party can’t raise K20m, then it’s very useless and not fit enough to field a presidential candidate. This is not about giving chance to the poor but an opportunity to split votes.
we are all zambians yes lets participate in this elections 2011, i have also formed my party called Kulya nikusheta party (KNP),ready to challenge MMD.
LT ‘correction’ is still inadequate.”Nod reduction” is still not grammartically sound as you ‘NOD TO” a reduction.
Is this a face you want for a president? This man looks tired, aged & finished, go rest old man and let the young fresh folks carry the torch……
Its a way of trying to split votes. Some nonentity Parties or presidents will do better established parties…… Watch this space…..
I propose 2 million kwacha. Who doen’t want to stay at plot#1? Give everybody a chance to have their followers show up at the polling stations. This way we can brag about having a good turn out.
MMD is already ahead of the rest skirming how to rig. The more the aspiring presidential candidates the easier it will be to rig. Good observation by UPND. There is a catch to all this while Sata thinks he has already scooped the presidency. The Pact should work or else it will be a pipe dream for the opposition.
On this one, I agree with Mr. Sata. The move by ECZ is good for democracy.
The move is welcome as our party will now participate.A further reduction to 5 million will be welcome too.Bravo ECZ as the move is not intented to split the votes but to empower parties like ours.Come 2011 victory is for CHABULABALYA PARTY.The party that cares.
This is an opportunity to MMD to sponsor many presidential candidates to split votes.
RB, Sata, HH, Milupi, Kaunda, Magande, Miyanda, Nawakwi, Chipimo Jr, et others
15 to 20 fools will slag it out
@ #18
What percentage in votes did Heritage Party split in 2008 and 2006 and was it significant??
this will allow magande, miyanda, nawakwi, milupi, chipimo, tilyenji to stand and eat into PF and UPND votes. MMD votes are intact and assured of victory. opposition aint ready to wrestle power from mighty MMD. opposition is weak, lost and fragmented much to the advantage of MMD
#19 you are so right. i bet u 50 people will stand. there are enuf fools in zed to take a chance.
#21 lady gaga
You forgot ADEDO-ZAMUCANO, he he he he he
i wonder how Mr. Sata analyses issues,he is talking about democracy where is it in PF for real the man is old…..now MMD is eating him on his back and he cant see it he is john cena…..the weaker we stand as youths for this country the easier its been swallowed by old men whose interest is power
old fool as usual no brain
come on you chaps..these MMD sponsored leaders will flock to ECZ..even Mulyokela..hehehe..K50m shud be the figure!
On “Patriotic Front leader Michael Sata has welcomed the reduction in the nomination fee for presidential candidates… [UPND’s] Mr. KAKOMA however said that the reduction will give an opportunity to small parties and the less privileged to contest the 2011 general elections” what else can one expect from a broke and dubious man like serpent Sata MC, who thinks the more presidential candidates we will have then Rupiah’s votes will reduce while his own Bemba Kapoonyas’ votes will remain same. As for the UPND’s position, this is great as it clearly makes Mr serpentine PF leader MC Sata look like a less-privileges since he has welcomed such a thing.
Be blest all.
_
Matt 6:33 But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto…
INFACT CANDIDATES SHOULD NOT PAY NOMINATION FEES – WERE DOES THIS MONEY GO? WE DONT NEED TO BE RICH TO STAND IN AN ELECTTION. WHAT WE NEED ARE YOUNG , OLD AND VIBRANT ZAMBIANS WHO HAVE A VISION FOR THE COUNTRY AND CAN DELIVER
#27 Maestro Hhehhehhehhe, your single-minded obsession with your tribal hatred for one person can only be a tragic sign of an inferiority complex of yourself and your tribe. BTW, what tribe are you again? Your tribe must be very proud of you. Your promounced hatred for both Sata and the Bembas will neither result in your preferred candidate or your tribe ascending to the presidency. The Zambian people, the intelligent Zambian people will make that decision. As an American whho has lived and worked with both the Bembas and the Tongas, I found that the Tongas are more obsessed with things tribal than the Bembas, and the unfrotunate result is that the Tongas mistakenly beliueve themselves to be superior to all other tribes, a fallacy not supported by reality on the ground.
This is a lacka move. After years of research, hard work, resiliance and a bit of some marijuana, I have decided to launch my party “Pathetic Fools – PF”. My moto is food on your table in 9 days. Don’t confuse my party with other wannabe’s out there. My symbol is a crocodile swallowing a canoe (ubwato). All welcome to join. Viva PF (pathetic fools)
And ECZ is only implementing what stakeholders agreed, as we are told.
It is interesting, though, that Mr Lubinda is saying something contrary to what his boss Mr Sata said.
Are you the PF/Sata Spokesperson Mr Lubinda?
27# Maestro Hhehhehhehhe. Hi, Cousin please tone down on your negativity on MS. You quote well scriptures but you do practice what you quote. Where is the love for one another? We should not misrepresent Christ our Saviour. Let us show respect to our leaders God has given us. Honor your Father and Mother so that your days may be long. This is a command with a promise. Keep well Jesus is coming again he may find us wanting if not careful.
Do you mean to tell me that you all can’t see that PF is a “one-man-show”? There are no debates or deliberations over issues, in PF. Everybody just waits for Sata to speak then they tow the rope. Lubinda better be worried because he could get fired at this rate. Never-the-less, Sata has dropped him from re-contesting the Kabwata seat on a PF ticket so I guess he is a free agent now.
In the mean time, MMD has begun its convention!
The reduction is a gimmick to split the votes. Let me explain. First MMD wants to sponsor as many presidential candidates as possible. K20m would have raised a lot of eyebrows. So ECZ reduces the fees and MMD sponsors a lot of candidates then there is a split on the votes. The Pact has really shaken then up. Parties that only appear during elections will be many…watch this space
for me this is foolishness the ECZ are solving a problem leaving the hot one just to direct us to un important one they are surpose to give solution to PVT not this nosense they are bringing