The Forum for Leadership Search has urged delegates to the National Constitution Conference to ensure that the simple majority electoral system is maintained in the country.
Forum Executive Director Edwin Lifwekelo told ZANIS today that the 50%+1 that people have been advocating for is a risky undertaking in the context of the country’s multi party politics saying using such a system would be a recipe for political anarchy.
Mr. Lifwekelo said the tribal and regional politics obtaining in the country at the moment would make it hard for any political party to attain 50%+1 majority.
He pointed out that the system is expensive because elections in Zambia are partly funded by donors and wondered how the country would raise money for a re-run if occurred.
He said the system could result into a conflict before a re-run in the event that the third political party does not accept the results and decides to petition.
Mr. Lifwekelo noted that there is need for the country to put in place legislation to prescribe standards and criteria to regulate the registration and conduct of political parties.
He explained that in 1991 Dr. Chiluba had no trouble in winning over 50%+1 in 1991 saying Zambia should not lose sight of the fact that the Movement for Multi Party Democracy and United National Independence Party were the only serious political parties at that time.
Isn’t this the Kandile who was Campaigning for Maureen as President. Now he is on about simple majority. Does someone know what Edwin does for a leaving? What is his profession or what “special skill” does he possess that enables him to predict anarchy if 50%+1 is implemented? How many serious political parties do we have.If bankrupt Zimbabwe can organise a re-run what is the fuss aboutmoney. I thought thess are MMD,PF & UPND
Oopps I meant what he does for a living.
you thug#1 Edwin is right here, dont judge him from the last poor statement he made. Looking at all the political parties we have in zambia which are based on tribalism and geographical locaton the votes will be splited amoung the candidates,some are still being organised they usually resurface close to electon time like Ken Ngondo, how many runoffs are we going to have?????? time for elections is so bad and if it prolongs like in mugabes garden of eden you’ll find yourself being skinned alive in south africa coz of poor thinking, Keep it up EDWIN.
LT Why are u blocking my reply to #2
Its sad tht 43yrs after Indpnce we are stil arguing against 50+1% electoral system.This is the surest way of producing a majority Nat.President.Some pipo are now chickening out on 50+1% coz they hav realised tht their Parties wil nt get majority vote in the 1st round worst still in 2nd round.
There is only one re-run in 50%+1 situation. And its betweeen the top 2 candidates. Mugabe’s Stealing of an election is the cause of Zimbabwe’s latest crisis
I totally agree with number 5.
#6,i meant 2nd round (btwn the top
A president WHO most people will have voted for will carry a tangible mandate/authority and will spend his energy on (survival) poaching poverty stricken or opportunistic opposition MP’s at the expense of development.
SORRY:COREECTION A president WHO most people will have voted for will carry a tangible mandate/authority and will NOT spend his energy on (survival) poaching poverty stricken or opportunistic opposition MP’s at the expense of development.
Simple majority iyayi! We have cried our lungs out for 50+1 and today someone is still talking of ‘simple majority’. When is our voice going to be heard? Could someone do ear syringing on these politicians so that they hear our cries?
no. 11: iyayi kuti? u dont know what u are talking about no wonder they cant hear you, 50+1 is costly, time consuming and dangerous. look what happened to kenya and zimbabwe some of u you just like commenting without thinking things thru…. cried ur lungs out? keep on crying and u will die soon coz the NCC wont listen to you.
# 12, ’50+1 is costly’ something you have never experienced,you have managed numerous unnecessary by elections, why not a re- run if the majority of Zambians are for it?
iwe dont be a monkey ayi, by elections are solely funded by parties, national elections are paid for by tax payers dont be a keyboard politician here can u disclose ur identity
and the majority of zambia is not up for it
50 + 1 is what we need. It seems this Edwin Lifwekelo is speaking for a tiny group that are banking of running the government through rigging elections by ‘creating’ simple majority situation. Lifwekelo is the tribalist, just because he is a tribalist, he thinks everyone is like him. We need a Leader voted and supported by the majority of the people in the country. We don’t want people who ‘fix’ figures so that they can win through simple majority. I wonder who is sponsoring this guy to spread lies and fear about something that can not happen in Zambia?
It seems the MMD are thinking of fielding someone who might not be popular enough to meet the 50 + 1 creteria to win the national elections so they want to create a situation were a rigged simple majority win is all it will take to win. With the last two questionable elections held in Zambia under MMD (2001, 2006), I would NOT listen to the hype Edwin Lifwekelo is promoting. 50 + 1 is what we want, nothing else. We need a leader with national wide support not fake ‘winners’. The tribalism he is talking about is with politicians like him not the ordinary Zambians.
Ba moderate,at 25yrs of age you are busy misleading the masses tht the 50+1% is what caused the confusion in Kenya& Zimbabwe?Check our facts right.
iwe naiwe shimabolo Bhaps, the 50+1 was not a direct cause yes, but the violence emanates from that guiding principle, and i am not misleading u go in the rural areas and ask if they are in favour of 50+1, they will tell u that they have no clue what sort of animal 50+1 is and in the urban areas its not the general consensus that we must adopt a 50+1 mandate its a trivial topic with lots of gray areas
Iwe # 19 let me tell u non partisans who voted for MMD in 2001 & 2006 are not sure if their choices were right because of this chi “simple majorie” (it’s like winning soccer by penalty shoot out 5-4). Similarly those who voted for runners up are not either. Therefore, either of them can only asses their choices and get convinced after 2nd round. And the final winner is truly legitimate.
Is it legal, if I called for honking for 50+1 and abashing “simple majorie”? I agree with earlier blogger, if bankrupt Zimbabwe will do it why can’t vibrant Zambia accept it
Lifweekelo nja ya litungulu tuwe, zwa fa uyo kowanela kusili mukalani tuwe. Wa swabisa wena namunungu tuwe, ute u lengwe ki pula ya katose namalyanga tuwe.
Youngman Chapi,
Where at thou? I’m impressed you heed the counsel to cut on your blogging habits. But get back to this thread. I have some hours to burn out today Monday May 26,2008 heard on such issues of public debate.
Who pays for this thug’s sustanance? I am sure that it is OP. Nothing of reasonable logic ever gets done by these state paid crooks. They are always defrauding Zambians at all levels of national life.
Plz dont compare Zim or Kenya to Zambia! The limit of terms and the 50+1 is what we need. Simple majority puts a minority govt in power which amopunts to dictatorship because such a govt does not carry the mandate of the people. Mind you, we vote a govt into power because we are attracted by its manifesto, not region or tribe trash! Policies which win the majority of support will always be better than those imposed by a minority. If they fail, well it is a collective failure! My point is simple, we want to be governend by a popular govt.
There is in Zambia a group of people who fail at school, cant get any job and foerm NGOs, give themselves gigantic job titles like Executive Director, then start talking on behalf of others. LIFWEKELO you are a fool and if there are more than 10 Zambians who think like you, then the country is in trouble. If Zimbabwe, Liberia, Sierra Leone ettc with no economies can do runoffs, why should we fail. 50 + 1% is the thing today.
no, number 20 u are missing the point or u have rather decided to neglect what i had to say, my argument is that bo walubita, amake junza, nabashi mumba tabayisha 50%+1 its only us guys in the urban areas that understand the rationale behind 50+1 and even then its not every urban rat that agrees with the tenet.
Edwin,are you still drunk and bitter with your expulsion from PF?please,gikve us some space.50+1 is the only way young man!
Moderate, I have followed your argument, and looking at some of the comments here, I have seen 50+1, 50+1%, which clearly shows even some bloggers do not understand the simple majority concept: 50%+1 [simply put, one vote past 50 percent of the total votes cast]; however, I do not agree with your argument that because the rural folk do not understand it, then it is not tenable. After President Mwanawasa won the elections in 2001, we were saying he had no legitimacy because 70% of the Zambians did not vote for him.
no 28.: the same could have been said of mazoka had he won the elections moreover there were more unregistered voters than they were registered. i support u when u say u dont agree with me because by the same token i disagree with your insinuation that the 50+1 is feasible in the absence of the rural vote, because what u are implying is that zambia is the urban areas and only people in the urban areas should matter in terms of elections which is exclusive and not a true representation of the people’s choice. U said that mwanawasa had not legitimacy in 2001 but thats misleading coz the constitution by virtue of the first past the post system provided that levy won the vote
/cont….. lawfully. After evaluating ur assertions in 28 u strike me as an opportunist who would steal the vote for ur favoured candidate at any cost because it seems as though u are ready to do without the voice of the uneducated or the poor, who ironically make up 70% of our population (the last time i checked).
THE POST 31/05/08 ZIMBABWE’s first lady Grace Mugabe has said President Robert Mugabe will not leave office for MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai even if he loses the June 27 presidential runoff. …HOW CAN ANY SANE PERSON SAY THAT THE PROBLEMS IN ZIMBABWE ARE BECAUSE OF OF THE 50%+1 SYSTEM?
50 +1 Is a must, Stupid and foolish Lifwekelo mislading the public. You know the truth *****. If you are paid eat alone you fool. You are like hynas of the Zulus who brought confusion in 2001. Where are they and the money they got for deceiving the nation. Wake up you fool, *****, stupid swalow your ass.
NO.32 is an impostor, that english professed in that comment is an insult to my intelligence i am a witty person of sublime character, as such i have subtle ways of uttering insults whoever is trying to assassinate my personality should refrain from using nefarious tactics, that does not help anybody but exposes jealousy and envy
/cont…. go and talk to ur uncle and sata in livingstone coz i know who u are.
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