The thematic working group on representation of people at the ongoing National Constitution Convention have unanimously retained the 50+1 vote threshold clause in the First Draft Constitution for the election of the republican President.
And Chieftainess Nkomeshya Mukamambo II has observed that it will be very difficult for a political party to garner more that 50% of the total votes cast in an election to win the polls due to uncontrolled mushrooming number of political parties in the country.
The thematic group on representation of people, which is being chaired by Francis Chigunta, has retained Clause (1) of Article 75 which provides that elections to the office of the President Shall be conducted directly on the basis of a majoritarian system where the winning candidate must receive not less than 50% +1 vote of the valid votes cast.
In supporting the clause, Lubansenshi Independent Member of Parliament Patrick Mucheleka said it would be a betrayal to the people of Zambia to remove the clause as they have spoken that they need a president with legitimacy of all Zambians.
Contributing to the debate, United Party for National Development (UPND) Secretary General, Winston Chibwe, noted that the clause will unite the country as all Zambians will have to agree on who to be their president as opposed to the current scenario which allows the candidate with the highest votes who might be the minority to become president.
But Solicitor General, Musa Mwenye, observed that Clause 1 which provides for the 50+1 votes, coupled with the Proportional Representation (PR) system of electing Members of Parliament, will create a very powerful president and a very weak parliament which he said was not good for the country.
Mr Mwenye further observed that Article 75 will make it difficult for candidates hailing from tribes that are not the majority in the country to win elections as people in Zambia vote not necessarily on tribal lines but on the language spoken in a certain region.
But the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) National Women’s chairperson, Faustina Sinyangwe, who was the National Constitution Conference vice chairperson, revealed that the NCC was thrown out because it failed to adopt the 50+1 vote clause which people dearly wanted.
Ms Sinyangwe, who served on the Mung’omba Commission, stated that people countrywide submitted to the Mung’omba that they wanted the clause, hence the need to retain it if the constitution is to be accepted by Zambians.
But Pambashe MP, Ronald Chitotela, differed with the views of the rest as he noted that even the president elected by the 50+1 vote is far from being called a majoritarian president because the country has less than half of its population who are registered voters, hence the need for the convention to revert to the current system.
The clause, when subjected to a vote, all delegates voted to retain it, except for Mr Chitotela who voted against and the Solicitor General who abstained.
In addition the working group has rejected the Proportional Representation (PR) system of electing MPs and replaced it with the mixed member representation system which is recommended in the Mung’omba Constitution Commission.
The PR system, which has since been amended, was going to allow political parties to get seats proportionate to the votes they receive in an election which most members observed was not good as it will allow all political parties, including the least, to get seats in all districts.
The same electoral system has since been unanimously adopted for use in local government elections.
Meanwhile Chieftainess Nkomeshya Mukamambo II expressed worry at the mushrooming number of political parties in Zambia.
She noted that some political parties that have been registered have no national character and will only cause confusion during elections, especially after adopting the 50+1 vote clause, adding that the convention should device a way of regulating the number of political
parties.
[ZANIS]
50 + 1 is good it is just the cost that is the worry.Having two elections(In case of a rerun) ? I`m not looking forward to that.
50 + 1
Thank you and Amen to the 50%+1
The political strategies and landscape will change very soon
Regional tribal parties are now doomed!!
Don’t regulate number of political parties. Useless parties will die a natural death. Regulating political parties will infringe on people’s constitutionally given freedom of association. 50% + 1 is very welcome. Abash PR system that denies the people’s right to choose their representative in case of death, resignation or defection, or expulsion of their MP
Its OK and costs manageable sometimes the donors give also
50+1. Costly? Yes. Solution: Limit the # of polical parties mushrooming!
Too many political parties with no national agenda, we should have a system that will limit the number of political parties competing in an election. This will ultimately allow the people chance to understand the manifesto and the seriousness of the competing political parties. 50 + 1 is the way to go.
Remember the president should also have a vice who should be voted not appointed. The president should also have less powers.
it is not costly as the nation will spend more time working productively than engaging in politicking
lets go for it (50+1), thats just what we wanted………!
Why not include the kenyan system of a pesident also getting at least 25% votes from half of all districts in order to have some semblance of national support? Right now some candidates get 80% of their votes in one region yet they want to be “national leaders”
Enka## Ukose bwana
50% +1 is the way to go. This country can easily afford to have a run off election and people should not talk about cost if we can hold so many parliamentary bye-elections in a space of two or three months. As for the fear by her royal highness Nkomeshya over a lot political parties, that must not worry her as they will die a natural death once this system is place under the new constitution. Bravo bane!!!
50 +1 —YESSSSSSSS!!!! If this Act was in place in 2011, bunkums like Sata would not have won to be president. In the second round all those who supported HH would have gone to RB…. RB was terrible while in power, BUT if you compare him to Sata then RB becomes a born-again. Sata is the devil incarnate!
50% +1 is the way to go. This country can easily afford to have a run off election and people should not talk about cost if we can hold so many parliamentary bye-elections in a space of two or three months. As for the fear by her royal highness Nkomeshya over a lot political parties, that must not worry her as they will die a natural death once this system is place under the new constitution. Bravo bane!!!
Mr. Ronald Chitotela, what’s wrong with you sir?
muluto! Is this your level of debating important issues.
Can Chieftainess Nkomesha concentrate on traditional ruling, than concern herself on the number of political parties formed or registered in Zambia. Zambians voted 78 %+ to reject one party system in 1991. If Chieftainess Nkomesha was not born then she should consult history books. Zambia should have as many political parties as the citizens of Zambia form or register period.The Zambian people, not Chieftainess Nkomesha, will decide which political party survives through democratic voting by the electorate and not the PF as announced by the ceremonial vice president Guy Scott that they have killed MMD, with PF in Govt, Nkomesha has her hand directly in the pot of the PF. This is a dangerous game being played by this Chief. Chiefs should be above politics otherwise your fall is eminent.
Imwe guys tupeniko dual citizenship Ifwe tubombeko tule telco nempiya pa Zed, please!
GOOD