Thursday, March 28, 2024

YALI supports hiked Nomination fees, it will filter out “Jokers”

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ECZ
The hiked presidential nomination fee has given room for the two top political parties to compete without much interference, Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) has said.

YALI president Andrew Ntewewe said the United Party for National Development (UPND) and the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) were the only parties capable of winning this year’s elections and the rest should consider rallying behind them.

‘’The problem is that we have had people that form a political party today and tomorrow they want to run for presidency; this is what we as YALI term as jokers. Why not support the candidates that are already there, because it is an open secret that we have two contenders for the presidency, even a child will tell you if you do a simple survey they will tell you that it is either Edgar Lungu or Hakainde Hichilema, why are we failing to accept that ?” Mr Ntewewe asked.

He explained that such leadership could no longer be supported as the new Constitution demanded a popular president.

He added that elections were very expensive and couldn’t afford to embrace political games.

“The spirit of the new Constitution is such that people who aspire for presidency must be popular and acceptable,” he explained.

Mr Ntewewe said issues like those of the national voters register which each presidential candidate had to be given was draining tax payer’s money with the mushrooming of many parties.

He also noted that requirements such as ferrying polling assistants from every political party to observe the ballot paper printing process was costly hence the cutting down on the numbers of candidates would be cost effective.

He said the required k75,000 fee for an aspiring presidential candidate would filter all smaller political parties to pave way for serious parties to contest.

Mr Ntewewe said the fee was a way for aspiring candidates to contribute to the running of elections which was expensive.

He said there were a lot of costs associated to the preparation of elections which needed sharing.

14 COMMENTS

  1. Let candidates succeed in their own lives before taking control of the lives of 14 million Zambians and their future. I recommend a minimum of K350,000 for the office of president. This is the reason some don’t want to leave even after kukangiwilatu

  2. Correction YALI, there is only one Contender in this election, HE Lungu! The other ones will one day in old age make like the Mafia movie Don Colione character, “I could have been a Contenter!”

    Yes the fees will clear away detrius!

  3. On these two big political parties the only capable president is HE HH the other one LUNGU is a big joker and with no vision that’s why he went to ask prayers from pope

  4. What about Nawakwi? She has done a lot of campaigning with her farmer support programme. You never know, she might be in there as well.

  5. Ba YALI president, maybe you should have said that only candidates that are “sure” of winning this year’s elections would want to spend K75,000 and the rest should consider rallying behind them…. However, I agree that there should be a mechanism to discourage those who only want to “exercise their right to stand for election!”

  6. Really ntewewe there ar only 2 contenders to this election its either its hh or lungu ba nawakwi nangu pafipange ati am gainin grounds kuwayawayafye. Bt I see hh emergin victorious

  7. Its true i ve been usin these words ozo coz this election is btwn 2 parties namely
    Panga Family & FORWORD CHABE (UPND).
    KOPALA NI HH……………………………….

  8. Yes the young African leader is correct. Rerunning the president election is expensive so why not remove jokers and avoid such unnecessary expense?
    After all a popular presidential candidate does not have to finance the election nomination or campaign on his own, the party should fund him or a large chunk. Unless maybe an independent presidential candidate but we don’t have such in zambia do we?

  9. Good Yali Now You Are Talking But I Feel K75 000 Should Be For Mps Then Presidential K150 000 And Counsellors K7500 To Make Sure Party Gives Their Best Candidate.
    We Shall Wait See It Only Lungu Across The Road Only Rejects Are Crossing Shame Abafyamba,womanisers,thieves,amaule,abamakofi, Ask (Dr C Banda) Distributor Condom Banda

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