Chilufya Tayali went ballistic yesterday afternoon after he was blocking from filling in his nomination papers for Lusaka Mayoral elections on account that he arrived late.

Mr Tayali who claimed to have been outside the Civics Centre in the car ready to file in his papers was turned away after he arrived shortly after 15:30 Hours.

He sharply reacted to the decision by the Returning Officer to bar him and charged that he was being disenfranchised.

Mr Tayali became highly emotional and started beating the table and declared the decision unfair.

The Returning Officer stood his ground and told Mr Tayali that he is merely following guidelines stipulated in the Electoral Code of Conduct.

Shortly afterwards, Mr Tayali summoned his few supporters to accompany him to the Electoral Commission of Zambia Head Office where he was planning to lodge a formal complaint.

Mr Tayali stormed out of the Civics Centre shouting on top of his voice crying blue murder.

United Party for National Development (UPND) President Hakainde Hichilema has urged his members to defend themselves when attached.

Speaking when he addressed thousands of supporters at the party’s secretariat, the UNPD leader said that this was not the time for cry babies and even babies grow, adding that he was tired of seeing people at his gate crying that they have been beaten.

“You must defend yourselves, full stop,” said the UPND leader. Speaking in local Language, Mr Hichilema emphasised that he did want to hear that his people have been beaten and asked as if they don’t have hands and brains.

“If attacjed by a PF cadre, defend yourself to the best of your ability and even attack 10 times more,” Mr Hichilema said and emphasized that he has given them the signal and they shouldn’t be waiting for one.

Mr Hichilema thanked the youths for the work in Chilanga and said that it was time to protect both the voters and the votes as responsible citizens to help the police to maintain law and order.

Mr Hichilema said that the party was confident that they will win the by-elections and Lusaka is top on their list as their candidate, Kangwa Chileshe was ready to deliver service to the people of Lusaka.

Below is the full video of Mr Hichilema’s address

Nine candidates have successfully filed in nomination papers for the Lusaka Mayoral by-election slated for 26th July 2018, while EEP president Chilufya Tayali failed to file in his nomination papers.

Returning Officer, Alex Mwansa has confirmed that all the nine nomination papers have been declared valid.

Mr. Mwansa has named the successful candidates as PF’s Miles Sampa,UPND’s Chileshe Kangwa,NDC’s Saboi Imboela, Savior Chishimba of the United Progressive Peoples (UPP), Alfred Band of the United Independence Party (UNIP) and Denis Bwalya of the National Restoration Party (NAREP).

Others are Leslie Chikuse of the Republican Progressive Party; Mukubesa Mundia of the People’s Alliance for Change (PAC) has Mukubesa Mundia and United Prosperous and Peaceful Zambia (UPPZ’s) Madaliso Musukwa.

Mr. Mwansa said that the Economic and Equity Party (EEP) Candidate Chilufya Tayali did not manage to file his nomination papers.

Mr. Mwansa said that Mr. Tayali and his supporters went to the nomination center 30 minutes after closure of the filing of nominations which was publicly done at 15:00hrs.

Meanwhile, the Zambia Police has assured political parties taking part in the July 26th by-elections of fair treatment throughout the campaigns.

Police Spokesperson Esther Katongo said that now that nominations have been conducted and campaigns have started, the police expect cooperation from parties contesting the by-elections.

Ms. Katongo has told QTV news by telephone that the police want the by-elections to be peaceful.

She stated that police commands in all the areas where by-elections are being held have devised plans of how they will police the polls.

Ms. Katongo said that the ultimate is to ensure that law and order is observed.

The President Lungu yesterday told the people of Vubwi constituency in Eastern Province that power belonged to the people and that government existed for the people. He stated that government served at the pleasure of the people.

“There are no people that can be governed without their consent. Even traditional rulers are there because people have accepted them,” he said.

“We are a democracy, we are One Zambian – One Nation,” he added.

President Lungu stated that when the electorates choose, those that score a 50+ 1 majority assume government and that is why the PF was in government today, owing to the fact that the people of Zambia gave them a 50+1 majority vote.

He stated that his government’s role was to take development to every part of the nation regardless of whether that area voted for him or not.

“Am saying this because am aware that some of you are going round saying why is he taking development to areas that did not vote for him? Why should he focus on doing roads in Dundumwezi instead of here in Vubwi where we gave him more votes,” President Lungu said.

He said that his trip to the Eastern Province was for him to witness first hand the kind of development the area had so far experienced.

“So, do not worry about how the voting pattern was. Government knows that each part of the nation needs development. If this government can happily take development to areas that did not give it votes, then what more about here where you gave us a vote?” he asked.

And President Lungu took time to thank the people of Vubwi for having voted for the PF government and promised not to let them down.

“But most importantly, speak out, tell us what you want first. I am very happy to have heard our learners say, everything is okay except the road. And I am very happy that the Minister of Housing and Infrastucture Development is here. He has heard for himself. And I am sure the Minister of Finance will see us on TV and hear that a road is needed here,” he said.

“The distance from Chipata to Vubwi is very short. So am confident we will search for resources very quickly to do the road,” President Lungu said.

He stated that soon, it would be 2021 and the people of Vubwi would be asking what the PF government had done for them to deserve another mandate.

“I want to come and point at this administration block, point at the hospital, point at a road and many other things such as improved agriculture in this area. So, am in this position to work and not just to talk,” he reiterated. “And as supervisor, my coming here to inspect works being done is equally working. As a leader if you just delegate responsibility and not follow up to supervise the works, you lose out and when you fail, the back stops at you,” he added.

He stated that all the necessary requests had been presented on the Vubwi tour and that it would now be up to the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure Development to see the construction of the road through. And the President stated that he was glad that the people of Vubwi had shown appreciation for the development that had been taken to the area by his government and stated that this encouraged him to do even more.

“I speak Bemba, Nsenga and Chewa but I can tell you that in Bemba they say ” Uushitasha patunono, napafingi takatashe,” he said (He who shows no appreciation in little things will not appreciate bigger things too).

“Am trying to reflect from my position where I am as President that if I do something small for you and you don’t appreciate, then it will be difficult for me to do more. Am only human after all. So if we do development in our own way, and you don’t see it and say government has failed, then we will fail you without any effort,” he said.

He gave an illustration of a child who is sent to the market to buy provisions during the day but refuses,the child is then sent to the hammer mill but refuses,then sent to fetch water or get firewood but refuses.At night, the parents will not call such a child to partake in the meal. The parents will call to dinner, the children that accepted to do household chores during the day.

“This illustration is simply trying to give you an insight into what happens when I sit with my collegues in cabinet and in the party and they ask me my reason for focusing on people who don’t appreciate the development being taken to them. This is not about voting or campaigning. It’s about appreciating that government is working. There are some areas where we go and they tell us you haven’t done anything from 2011 to 2018, you have failed the people. Yet those that come to Zambia after being away for a while testify to the huge difference in the Zambia of today and that of yesterday in terms of developmental projects dotted across the nation,” he said.

He stated that it was important for government to be commended when it scored positives so that it would be encouraged to do more.

“Even when you send your kids to school and they do well, commend them. Don’t go about telling your children that they are very dull because then they will end up doing nothing. This happens to government also. If you keep saying nothing is coming in our area, even the little we have for you, we won’t bring. I have seen development in Zambia and I am happy to contribute to its growth and make it batter than we found it in 2011,” he added.

He stated that as a human being, he would not be beyond human failures.

“There is a saying, ‘one good turn deserves another’, so let us encourage each other,” President Lungu said.

President Lungu has launched the Village Satellite Television Project in Vubwi district, Eastern Province.

The project is part of the implementation of the 10,000 African Satellite Television Project announced by President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China during the forum for China – Africa cooperation held in Johannesburg, South Africa in 2015.

By 2020 China hopes to to have reached 10 000 villages in 25 countries in Africa.

President Lungu said the village satellite television project is one of the significant symbols of friendship between the people’s republic of China and Zambia in particular and Africa in general.

500 selected villages, schools and other community centres across the country will receive the village satellite television sets.

President Lungu lauded this as a remarkable development and a milestone in the PF government’s unwavering commitment to bringing information, education and entertainment services closer to the people than ever before.

“It is a well known fact that lack of amenities in rural areas contribute negatively to development. This scenerio equally applies and contributes to increased vices such as early marriages, alcohol and drug abuse, teenage pregnancies among others.I am confident therefore, that this project will greatly promote togetherness among the people, not only to be informed, but also to afford them an opportunity to be educated through various programmes and at the same time be entertained,” he said.

President Lungu further directed the the Ministers of General Education and Information and Broadcasting services to work together to ensure that the education services channel is operational within the shortest period of time. He said this channel would tremendously help in the delivery of education services in rural areas.

President Lungu also issued a directive to the Minister of Information and Broadcasting services to ensure that the Zambia News and Information services (ZANIS) and Parliament channels are enhanced with developmental news and information. This, he said is aimed at ensuring that the numerous projects that government implements are communicated to the people without fail.

President Lungu said the community in Vubwi will not be told what is happening in Lusaka but will rather be kept abreast with events in Vubwi and pupils will learn parliamentary proceedings.

He explained that government is spending millions of kwacha on the digital migration because the PF government believes that people can only make informed decisions, if they are well informed.

Popular musician Mukubesa Mundia popularly known as Petersen has filed in his nomination papers for the vacant position of Lusaka Mayor.

Petersen is standing on the People’s Alliance for Change ticket.

Speaking shortly after filling in his papers, Petersen said he is coming on the political scene to change the way Zambians do politics.

He said once elected Lusaka Mayor, he will work towards offering hope for Lusaka residents by bringing efficiency in council operations.

And Mr PF Lusaka Mayoral candidate Miles Sampa also successfully filed in his nomination papers.

Mr Sampa said he will use the PF vision to run Lusaka city affairs if elected.

Others that successfully filed in their papers include Saboi Imboela of NDC and Leslie Chikuse of the Republican Progressive Party.

Minister of Justice Given Lubinda said the directive by President Edgar Lungu to suspend the constitution amendment process is meant to create room for political players to deliberate on provisions in the Constitution so that their submissions and recommendations can be taken on board.

“President Lungu has been magnanimous and Government has been open and does not want to fall into the trap of living anyone behind. We want all those who have views on the constitution to bring them on board, but if you ask me when the constitution amendment bill will be published, I don’t know and only the dialogue process will determine the way forward,” Mr Lubinda said.

The Minister also said the dialogue process will also decide whether to open the constitution making process to further submissions from other stakeholders outside political parties or not.

He said Government had however intended to publish the Constitution Amendment bill in May but did not do so considering that some stakeholders such as political parties had not actively participated in the process.

The Minister said this in Ethiopia when he transited to Rome to attend the pallium ceremony for Archbishop of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Lusaka Bishop Rev. Dr Alick Banda.

The Pallium ceremony is a ceremony where the Pope officially gives authority to newly installed Archbishops.

Mr. Lubinda is also expected to meet with the Holy see on Wednesday as arranged by the Nuncio in Zambia.

Governance and Legal activist has written to the Zambia’s Chief Justice, Irene Mambilima to immediately set up a Local Government Elections Tribunal that will adjudicate in legal challenges on nominations of mayors and councillors set for today, 26th June 2018

In a letter dated 25th June 2018, copied to the Electoral Commission of Zambia Chief Electoral Officer, Isaac Mwanza, has argued that elections of mayors and Council Chairperson do not require the minimum of 15 supporters as advertised by the Electoral Commission of Zambia but instead the law only require 9 supporters as per Section 33(1) of the Electoral Process Act No. 35 of 2016.

Mr. Mwanza has stated that the Elections Tribunal and the courts will need to adjudicate on whether mayors and council chairpersons who are not resident in their districts are also eligible to be nominated as candidates considering that the office of the mayor falls vacant when the mayor as a councillor ceases to be a resident in the district.

Mr. Mwanza said the Tribunal and the Courts will also be necessary to hear the right to vote for those who have attained the age of 18. He said Section 7 of the electoral law mandates the Commission to conduct continuous voter registration exercise and if ECZ implemented what the law required, those who turned 18 years should be allowed to vote and not disfranchised.

Below is the full letter

Your Ladyship,

RE: Appointment of ad hoc Local Government Elections Tribunals: Mayoral, Council Chairperson and Ward By-Elections (June 26 to July 26, 2018)

The above captioned matter refers.

My lady, I write to request your kind and urgent consideration in appointing ad hoc Local Government Elections tribunals pursuant to Article 159(1) of the Constitution of Zambia, Chapter 1 of the Laws of Zambia and Rule 1 of Local Government Elections Tribunal Rules, 2016, issued under Statutory Instrument No. 60 of 2016 (hereinafter referred to as “S. I No. 60 of 2016”).

This request is made based on the following matters of fact and law.

The Electoral Commission of Zambia, in the attached press release dated 8^th June, 2018, issued a notice to the effect that it had prescribed Thursday 26^th July, 2018 as the date on which to hold the local government by-elections in 6 districts and 6 other separate wards. The Commission also notified the public that aspiring candidates in the Mayoral and Council Chairpersons’ elections should lodge completed and attested statutory declaration and nomination forms on Tuesday 26^th June, 2018, which you will note is exactly 30 days from the election date.

Article 52(4) of the Constitution provides for the challenging, before a tribunal, of the nomination of a candidate within seven (7) days of the close of nomination and the hearing of the case within twenty-one days of its lodgement. This in effect requires 28 clear days for any challenge to nominations against any candidate, to be heard before the election, in conformity with the principle of electoral process in Article 45(2)(e) which requires timely resolution of electoral disputes.

As per Rule 4 of the Local Government Election Tribunal Rules issued under SI no. 60 of 2016, one of the functions of the Tribunal, which I note, only Your Ladyship has power to appoint, is to hear and determine whether a person has been validly nominated as a candidate for election as a councillor (which includes Mayor and Council Chairperson), or the rejection of any nomination by the Commission. As stated earlier, should any challenge be brought forth, this must process must take place and be concluded within a period of 28 days.

Your Ladyship, may I humbly bring to your attention, the following as potential areas of conflict in the forthcoming local government by-elections:

1. Eligibility: Article 157(2)(a) provides that a vacancy in the office of a councillor occurs if a councillor ceases to be a resident of the district.

In view of the fact that mayors and council chairpersons are councillors, the question may arise as to whether a person who is not resident in the district is eligible to be nominated considering that the seat would fall vacant upon the person not hailing from the district contested winning elections.

2. Nominations and supporters: The Electoral Commission, in its announcement, stated that “aspiring candidates for the Lusaka District Mayoral elections and those for the office of Council Chairperson in Chasefu, Chipangali, Kasenengwa, Lumezi, Lusangazi and Chifunabuli districts, should take along with them fifteen (15) supporters who must be registered voters in the respective districts.”

It is my humble observation that this requirement is erroneously based on Article 71 of the Constitution which is not a requirement for district council elections as these elections for Mayor and Council Chairpersons are held exclusively based on Section 33 of the Electoral Process Act No. 35 of 2016 and Article 70 of the Constitution, and not Article 71. It is my humble view that the correct position of the law therefore is that any mayoral or council chairperson candidate who takes along nine (9) supporters, is validly nominated.

Section 33 (1) makes provision for the nomination of both district and ward councillors. Article 71 of the Constitution makes provision for the nomination of members of the National Assembly. Although Section 33 must be read together with Article 70 of the Constitution such that members of the National Assembly and Mayors or Council Chairpersons have the same qualifications, there is no requirement that they are to be nominated in the same manner stipulated in Article 71 because there is no express application of Article 71 to Mayors or Council Chairpersons. Section 33 (1) sufficiently makes provision for the nomination of district councillors which includes Mayors and Council Chairpersons.

The requirement for fifteen (15) supporters as announced by the Electoral Commission of Zambia, in respect of district council elections, is thus erroneous and should be corrected or would be subject to a legal challenge.

3. Post-election petition on the right to vote: The Tribunal and the courts may have to deal with the right of franchise in Article 46 of the Constitution for persons who have attained the age of 18 at the time of these elections but disenfranchised due to failure by the Commission to conduct continuous registration of voters in breach of Section 7 and Article 229(2)(a)(c) of the Constitution.

My lady, you will note that the issues raised above require the Commission to allow the processes of challenges to nominations or rejection of nominations, to be dealt with by the Tribunals and our courts within 28 to 30 days, and for the Commission to have sufficient time to conduct the forthcoming by-elections. If the constitutional right to challenge the acceptance or rejection of a nomination is respected, it may thus prevent the holding of elections in the districts as the hearing will have to run concurrently with the prescribed period for nominations by ECZ

Your Ladyship, I therefore request that you exercise the power vested in your office, to set up the Tribunals so that they could be ready to perform their task when a petition is lodged before them.

Yours faithfully

Isaac Mwanza

Citizen of the Republic of Zambia

cc: Chief Electoral Officer

Electoral Commission of Zambia

Elections House

LUSAKA

Nominations for aspiring candidates for Lusaka mayoral elections will take place today at Lusaka’s Nakatindi Hall at the Civics Centre.

Elections are expected to take place on 26th July, 2018.

According to the Electoral Commission of Zambia notice, aspiring candidates for the Lusaka District Mayoral election will be required to pay K7,500 non-refundable nomination fee.

The Candidates must also present certified copies of their grade 12 certificates or equivalent or higher qualification, which must be verified by the Examinations Council of Zambia or the Zambia Qualifications Authority respectively.

The ECZ says failure to comply with these requirements shall render the nomination papers null and void.

And the country’s oldest existing political party UNIP has fielded its Secretary General Reverend Alfred Banda as its candidate for the Lusaka Mayoral election.

Reverend Banda confirmed that the party has adopted him to stand as the UNIP mayoral candidate, in the forth coming Mayoral Elections in Lusaka District.

And NAREP has settled for NAREP have selected for its Spokesman Dennis Bwalya Nondo as its candidate for the Mayoral election.

NAREP said Mr Nonde is a Member of the Central Committee, a long-standing Party member and active supporter who has been a member of the NAREP since inception in 2010.

Below is the full schedule of the nomination

09:00-09:30 Charity Chileshe (Independent)
09:30-10:00 RPP
10:00-10:30. Alexander Ng’ube (Independent)
10:30-11:00 PF
11:00-11:30 FDD
12:00-12:30 PAC
13:00-13:30 UPP
13:30-14:00 UPND
14:30-15:00 UNIP