Akufuna
THE Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) says the high cost of undertaking an election has necessitated the raise in nomination fees for this year’s tripartite elections.
Public relations manager Crispin Akufuna said in a press statement yesterday that the high cost of undertaking an election is to ensure that there is transparency throughout the electoral process.
“The whole idea of ensuring transparency in an election is what is costly. The total cost incurred by the commission per presidential candidate is K288,860 in every election. “If there are 10 presidential candidates like during the 2011 tripartite elections, the commission would spend K2,888,600 on the presidential candidates,” Mr Akufuna said
He said ECZ spends K176,000 for the printing of every register of voters which has to be given to every presidential candidate.
“Further, the commission gives a copy of the register of voters for the entire country to every presidential candidate. The registry of voters is very big, hence the cost of printing one register is US$16,000, which is equivalent to K176,000,” he said
He also explained that the commission meets the cost of the airfare and daily upkeep of agents that political parties nominate to observe the printing of ballots.
“You might be aware that for the candidates who successfully file in their nominations at presidential level, the commission sponsors their agents to observe the printing of ballot papers for the entire period which normally ranges between 20 to 30 days,” he said
The ECZ has revised fees for presidential candidates to K75,000, aspiring members of Parliament to K10,000, mayoral elections at K 10,000, council chairpersons K5,000 and councillors in cities and municipal councils at K2,000, while rural council nominations have been pegged at K1,500.
Political parties and other stakeholders have received the revised nomination fees with mixed feelings.
Ubunthu executive director Reuben Mbewe has said the revised fees are reasonable and timely, while MMD spokesperson Raphael Nakacinda said most people, especially in rural areas, would not manage to raise the K1,500 to stand as councillors because of their low incomes.
This man speaks not only from the bottom of his heart but the base of costs. bottom line is to be a presidential candidate you should have had skills and brains to be successful so you can pass those on to the people you want to represent. This applies to all candidates. If you have nothing to offer, why do you want to be in an influential position. this is what has led us to be led by thieves. its a fact of life. You can only pass on what you know or have.
Thanks
Ohh he also represents affordability from his true wage with his suit and also looks to have enjoyed a few free drinks at the function. That’s the real Government worker. Unbribebable!!! LOL no word like this!!
K75,000. IS STILL TOO LITTLE A MONEY FOR PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES. SHOULD BE INCREASED STILL TO ATLEAST K150,000. IN ZAMBIA PEOPLE COMPLAINS ABOUT ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING NEW IF MONEY IS INVOLVED, WITHOUT EVEN ANALYZING THE REASONS BEHIND THE DECISIONS. A WANT OF FREE THINGS IN ALL ASPECTS IT SEEMS.
@cat power you are right by saying “it has led us to be lead by thieves”.
Other leaders have stolen and being involved in corruption and they have killed evidences and witness and now want to be president. Shame.
We REALLY NEED TO IMPLEMENT GR12 standing as minimum in ALL WALKS OF LIFE!!
For the life of me, I DON’T UNDERSTAND WHY EACH PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE SHOULD HAVE A PERSONAL COPY OF THE WHOLE COUNTRY’S REGISTRY ROLL – WHAT ON EARTH DO THEY USE IT FOR????? If they needed to inspect it – the can view it at ECZ’s NEAREST OFFICE which are COUNTRY WIDE!!
WE have spent so much MONEY ON GOVT PRINTERS – Why the FCUK do we have to CONTINUE PRINTING ABROAD?? PRINTING IN LUSAKA WOULD ENSURE WE DON’T WASTE MONEY- not on the OBSERVERS BUT THIEVES WITHIN ECZ form pocketing further monies!!
What is really wrong with us Zedians?? ARE WE SO ST..U>P>I>D we dont even seem to know how to clean our A.R.S.E.S???
HH should be charged k500 000 for featuring million times without winning. He is the sole candidate who have been appearing on the ballot paper since time in memorial. He forgets that the same people who rejected him 10years ago are the same people who keep on rejecting him and who will reject him this year. This is what we call insanity.
HH gives you hard ons hey
Lupato fiye nomba. Tula laba ukweba ati umuntu oyu bapata ekapususha.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN MY BROTHER? PEOPLE WITH DUBIOUS WEALTH SHOULDN’T BE ANYWHERE NEAR NATIONAL LEADERSHIP. THEY SHOULD JUST END IN BEING CLUB LEADERS.
Even those who have been found guilty of stealing money from their clients should not be near national leadership. Once a thief always a thief. If one can not be trusted with small amounts of money what more with the national treasury? Never place a monkey in a maize field.
TELUPATO ABANTU NGABAKUKANA MORE THAN 3 TIMES NINSHI NABA KUKANA NEXT TO ALL PRESIDENTIAL CAND. -DO NOT USE VIOLENCE,TRICKS,KILLING,TO BECOME PRESIDENT IN ZAMBIA U DO SO YOU PUT YOUR LIFE AT RISK BCOS THIS IS A CHRISTIAN NATION.
IF YOU HAVE ALREADY KILLED PEOPLE PLEASE DO NOT STAND COS GOD WILL PUNISH YOU,YOU WILL NOT BELIEVE IT.YOU CAN CONVINCE PEOPLE BUT NOT GOD.
Paragraph one “tripartite elections………” The elections wont be tripartite anymore, even mayors will be voted for by the electorate. Read the constitution that parliamentarians amended without comprehension and one vision-less chap assented to with eyes closed
@ luanshya it will still be tripartite, that is; Presidential, Parliamentary and local govt or council (both counselors and mayors belong to council) elections.
Lungu is a certified thief by his own peers in LAZ who suspended him for 5 years for stealing from a client. His only plea is that he repaid the money, as if it was a loan. He also committed treason last year when he revealed Cabinet proceedings to a third party in his bid to oust Guy Scott as Acting President. In real and serious countries, Lungu is not fit to be a Presidential candidate.
Since we don’t have any other way in our democracy to root out jokers, hiking of fee is the best way. Why should we pay so much money for candidates who don’t even campaign but just want their faces on the ballot papers & the donor money they get paid.
How do you measure the quality of a president? BY how much wealth they have? This time around even if you are a thief and has got K75, 000.00 to pay then you are presidential material.
Are we saying all those with money are the successful people no matter how they acquired those resources? This is how Zambia is getting destroyed measuring success by how much one acquires not matter how that wealth is acquired.
The only sensible thing from Chris is the cost of running presidential election for each candidate not this other crap. Remember even Edgar did not have money but was just supported by likes of RBS. So nothing has really changed if anything the game will now be for crooks.
I think the issue of high nomination fees is now water under the bridge. Those who want to aspire for political office should prove themselves that they are able to live above the datum poverty line or why should they aspire for such office if they cant beat the harsh economic environment.
Political office is for people who can see a city in a swamp meaning they have to be innovative and have tenacity to survive no matter how or what the situation might be.
We are tired of voting for representatives who don’t think beyond their nose and so hungry that they have stripped the economy because poverty was their companion for to long.
..trying to justify the unjustified….why not ask them to pay K200 000 then….behaving like a parent who demands so much as pride price for his daughter because she is a Lawyer or a Doctor…
Then each presidential candidate should pay K 300,000.00 These guys have a lot of money which they just spend to buy pangas and chibuku for cadres!
Zambians are not reasoning well.Its not how much money or rich the Presidential candidate is.Its on how popular the party is.If the party and its presidential candidate are popular its very easy raise the nomination fees.Just example if the party has 500,000 genuine followers and they each pay K 50 do you know how much that will be 500 000 multiply by K 50 is K 25,000,000 simple to raise if your party has follower but if you are Gen Miyanda very difficult