Ruling PF elections chairperson Jean Kapata says the premature campaigns that Kabwata parliamentary aspiring candidate Clement Tembo is undertaking using the PF regalia in the area do not have the blessings of her party, reports Pan African Radio Journalist Hermit Hachilonde.

Ms. Kapata who is also Mandevu Member of Parliament told Pan African radio in an exclusive telephone interview that no one from the PF has sanctioned Mr Tembo to start going round the constituency campaigning under the guise of introducing himself as a PF aspiring candidate.

She says it is against the PF regulations for an individual to declare oneself as the party’s area parliamentary candidate before being subjected to laid down procedures and scrutiny.

Ms. Kapata explains that the PF is an organisation that does not conduct its business without following the due processes and rules that govern it.

She has therefore with immediate effect directed Mr Tembo to desist from conducting premature campaigns in the name of the PF to avoid misleading the public that his candidature has been endorsed by the governing party failure to which they will conclude that he is an overzealous and adamant person who cannot be entrusted with leadership at any level.

“He doesn’t have the blessings of the party and for me if he continues we will not accept his application letter” Jean Kapata said

The mandevu lawmaker adds that even purported PF regalia his supporters and foot soldiers have been donning are sourced by Mr Tembo using his resources as an individual.

“Because the Chitenge material was being sold by an Indian in an Indian shop and anybody would walk in and buy, but I think he is too adamant and I think that is not the way to go” Jean Kapata said

Meanwhile Kabwata ward six councilor Cassius Mbalazi has advised against jumping the ship in his political career by contesting at local government level as a ward councillor before he thinks of contesting as an MP if he means well for the community he claims he wishes to serve.

Mr Mbalazi further stated that overrating oneself is a bad trait in leadership and always works against such individuals.

“If he is a genuine member of the Patriotic Front and he means well for the party, I would like him to respect party organs and all Senior party members, Honourable Lubinda is a very Senior party member and minister for that matter, if he has been hired to frustrate the MP, we will meet him on the ground because us councilors we are not going to accept to work with him, because there is a lot of immaturity in him and our efforts cannot be guided by such people, therefore when you look at the claims that he want to work for the community, it does not mean that when you clear garbage and build one pit latrine then I have got leadership qualities, if he want to work for the community let him become a councilor first” Cassius Mbalazi said

Eastern Permanent Secretary Chanda Kasolo said yesterday that the committee which was set up in consultation with provincial minister Malozo Sichone was monitoring super markets and other mealie-meal retail shops.

He said that Government was fully aware of the trend where mealie-meal is being exported to neighbouring countries in the region illegally.

Mr Kasolo observed that exporting mealie-meal was a new way smugglers were using to take Zambian maize out of the country.

He explained that following Government’s embargo on maize exportation, people have now turned to mealie meal.

Mr Kasolo has warned that anyone who would be found smuggling mealie-meal outside the country will be arrested.

Recently, people have been calling on government to put in place measures that would end smuggling of mealie-meal.

THE Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) has called upon Government and Zambia’s Co-operating Partners to help provide adequate funding to the Electoral Commission of Zambia in order to enable the Commission discharge it’s mandate of conducting the 2016 general elections with utmost integrity and transparency.

We are saddened to note that the elections body is financially limping, just a few months before Zambia goes to the polls and we wish to emphasise that ECZ can only conduct free and fair elections if it is empowered to do so. This calls for Government and the Commission to identify urgent areas where the limited resources can be applied to maximum effect.

However, YALI notes that the Commission can also undertake certain actions to reduce its expenditure, such as a reduction in the hire of expensive 4 X 4 motor vehicles from private individuals or car hire companies at exorbitant prices, and move toward efficient and cost conscious hiring of transportation services. It is our view that this practice has become a method for unscrupulous business people, civil servants and some government officials who own 4 x 4s to make money from ECZ during elections.

In urging a reduction in ECZ expenditure, YALI would also like to put in on record, that we fully recognise that it is very costly to run a free and fair elections, and it is for that reason that we support the Commission’s upwards adjustment of nomination fees for persons wishing to contest elections at different levels.

We believe the Commission Chairperson, Judge Esau Chulu, adequately explained the reasons that necessitated the increase in nomination fees. However, YALI urges the Commission to practice greater stakeholder engagement in arriving at such important decisions.

We would urge our fellow citizens who may not agree with this increase in nomination fees, to give consideration to the the enormous cost of holding these elections. Secondly, it must be borne in mind that all candidates voluntarily choose to stand in these elections, after which, if they are successful, receive many benefits as Members of Parliament including a salary and hefty gratuity.

Under the recent Constitutional amendments, it must be noted that even those elected as councillors, will receive financial benefits paid from taxpayers money through the Consolidated Fund.

YALI believes, therefore, that It is only fair that these fees are hiked for those wanting to contest these and elections.

Meanwhile, YALI will engage with the Commission on pending issues regarding qualifications of Mayors and Council Chairperson including the election of councillors as we still feel there is need to carefully re-look at provisions of the law and the spirit with which the amended Constitution was framed to arrive at modalities on how local government elections will be conducted.

We will further engage with the Commission on the Presidential Running mate to avoid a situation where, if the Presidential Running Mate, appears on the ballot paper alongside the Presidential candidate, some voters may be confused as at how to proceed, which may then result in spoiled or rejected ballots which may, in turn, lead to controversy in interpreting the outcome.

We are confident that the ECZ, in executing its onerous duties, will be willing to listen to all its partners in order to deliver a free and fair election, a task which the Electoral Commission of Zambia has always accomplished with honour and distinction.

Isaac Mwanza
Governance Advisor
Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI)

The Electoral Commission of Zambia has increased the presidential nomination fee from K10, 000 to K75, 000 while the nomination fee for parliamentary candidates has been increased from K5, 000 to K10, 000.

Patrick Mungo who is eying the Munali seat feels this will bring sanity and seriousness among those aspiring to be the people’s representatives in various constituencies.

But Roy Hamalyang’ombe who is vying for the Moomba parliament seat in Monze feels the increase is an injury to democracy.

And Clement Tembo the aspiring candidate for Kabwata feels there is nothing wrong with the revised nomination fee as political parties may fund candidates who cannot afford to raise the money.

Meanwhile, Allan Sakala another aspirant for Munali constituency says as a youth, he feels the hike in the nomination fee will work against young people who do not have the financial muscle but are ready to offer service to the nation.

The Northern Province Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) Executive Committee has told outgoing Lunte Member of Parliament Felix Mutati to “go to hell” as the province no longer considers him an MMD Member of Parliament because of his blatant betrayal of the party.

Provincial Chairman Noah Mulenga said Mr Mutati betrayed the MMD during the January 2015 Presidential by-election when he openly campaigned for the United Party for National Development (UPND) candidate Mr Hakainde Hichilema and also in the 2011 General Election when he decampaigned President Rupiah Banda in Lunte constituency. Mr Mulenga said that although Mr Mutati won Lunte, Mr Banda however lost to Mr Michael Sata in the same constituency. Mr Mulenga said that Mr Mutati clearly contributed to the devastating loss of Mr Banda in the presidential vote in that constituency.

“Mr. Mutati should understand that unlike the one-man dictatorial culture of the party where he has gone to [UPND], the MMD is governed by strong grassroots democratic practices strictly guided by the party Constitution not by power-hungry Members of Parliament. He said that in the MMD, aspiring candidates for parliamentary and local government seats are selected and recommended by the grassroots matched by their good standing in the party. So an MP is accountable to the structures and we are waiting for him if he has courage,” said Mr Mulenga.

Mr. Mulenga says the party in the province will not miss Mr. Mutati because he is a coward, double-tongued and a dangerous opportunist who will say one thing in daylight, but will be slippery and deceptive like a snake at night.

“We are very relieved that people are now seeing Mr. Mutati for who he really is. We have been telling the leadership of the party to be careful with Mr. Mutati but they wanted to be fair to him and said they were giving him the benefit of doubt. Mr Mutati was the shadow behind all the calls for a convention for a very long time. That convention has had only one agenda item which was to remove Nevers Mumba as President of MMD.”

“What we know is that Mr. Mutati, including his group who stood against Nevers Mumba, never recovered from the devastating loss they suffered at the hands of Nevers Mumba during the 2012 Convention when he won a landslide victory. From that time, Mutati and his group have harboured jealousy and hatred against an innocent man who happens to be one of the greatest leaders of our time and the best politician this country has ever had.

“Since that defeat, Mr. Mutati has been underground plotting how to get rid of Dr. Mumba. We can confirm that Mr. Mutati has made countless trips to Northern Province for a long time to try to mobilize and corrupt our party structures to agitate for the removal of Dr. Mumba as MMD president, but we have solidly stood behind our president. After corrupting so many people and his plan failing, Mr Mutati has been forced to overcome his cowardice and come out in the open instead of hiding behind the likes of Professor Lungwangwa and Bradford Machila.

“We know he is now frustrated and has lost a lot of money and is running out of time to deliver the MMD to UPND for an alliance as he promised them. He is hell-bent to ensure that the MMD is completely neutralized and its value destroyed to ensure that it is not a viable option as an alliance partner with any party. We in Bemba say, ‘twalafilila munsenga’. In other words, ‘If I can’t have the MMD, then no one will,’” said Mr. Mulenga.

“As Northern Province Chairman and a member of the MMD NEC, I was at the January 30th 2016 meeting and there was an overwhelming vote against holding a convention this year. Mr. Mutati had wanted to sneak in Professor Lungwangwa who is not a NEC member to try and present a petition for holding a convention but he was not even allowed in because he did not qualify to attend. When it is clear that everything has now failed, their only option is a futile court injunction,” said Mr. Mulenga.

The MMD Provincial Leadership has further warned anyone thinking of allowing Mr. Mutati in their ranks to constantly be on alert and to be very careful of Mr. Mutati as he is an unprincipled, power-hungry and over-ambitious politician.

Eastern Province PF Chairperson Andrew Lubusha said when he addressed party members at Events hall in Chipata on Wednesday that Mr Sampa was given ministerial position by President Edgar Lungu which he resigned himself because of his selfish minds.

He said when he resigned from his deputy ministerial positions he told the nation that he would concentrate on party mobilisation adding that he would not leave PF.

Mr Lubusha wondered why the Matero MP who was entrusted with some responsibilities by President Lungu left the party which he claimed that he founded.

“You remember that Mr Miles Sampa despite having differences with President Lungu, the Head of State made him a deputy minister of commerce and part of the Central Committee,” he said.

He said he was shocked that Mr Sampa resigned from the ruling party.

He challenged those who were intending to join Mr Sampa that they should not do so because the Matero MP was not a trusted person.

And Chama District PF treasurer Edward Chipoka said PF should go ahead in forming an alliance with MMD.

Mr Chipoka who was flanked by his Chairperson Richard Munyenyembe said President Lungu had made a step in inviting the MMD to form an alliance ahead of the August 11th general elections.

He said the forthcoming elections needed partner with MMD in order to marshal votes.

THREE factions have emerged in the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) over whether the former ruling party should forge an alliance with the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) or the United Party for National Development (UPND).

One faction which is openly aligning itself to the opposition UPND does not want anything to do with the PF.

The third faction wants to oust MMD president Never Mumba because they believe he is arm-twisting President Edgar Lungu into an alliance on condition that he is appointed as a running mate.

But a national executive committee member Malama Sokoni rubbished the ‘running mate’ assertion because no talks had been held with the PF to discuss the nature of the alliance.

Earlier in the week, MMD national secretary Mwansa Mbulakulima announced that the former ruling party at its national executive meeting had resolved to accept President Lungu’s offer to form an alliance following the inclusion of the 50 percent plus 1 clause in the amended Constitution and mandated Dr Mumba to negotiate and report back the terms and conditions.

But embattled MMD national chairman Edgar Keembe, claimed that there was no resolution to form an alliance with the PF.

A statement by the MMD media team dismissed as false Mr Keembe’s assertions whom they accused of wanting the MMD to form an alliance with a different political party.

It was unfortunate they said that a senior member of the party such as Mr Keembe could allow himself to be misguided to attempt to cast doubt on the credibility of the NEC meeting and its resolutions.

The statement accused Mr Keembe of attempting to cause confusion in the MMD on a matter it said was above board, transparent and without blemish.

“To start with, Mr Keembe did not co-chair the NEC meeting as it was singularly chaired by MMD president Never Mumba. It is unfortunate that a senior party member of Mr Keembe’s stature could allow himself to be so misguided and attempt to cast doubt on the credibility of the NEC meeting and attempt to cause confusion on a matter that is above board and transparent,” the statement read in part.

Mr Keembe, however, insisted that he had co-chaired the NEC meeting at which the matter of forming an alliance with the PF was tabled and because of a number of issues that were raised it was decided that it was not appropriate to give an express response to President Lungu’s offer.

He said it was resolved that the MMD remained committed to engaging any other serious political party on grounds of sincerity, mutual respect and fairness.

Mr Keembe said it was his personal view that it was the PF that paralysed the MMD by unlawfully grabbing its vehicles soon after the 2011 general elections, adding that it was unimaginable for the former ruling party to forge an alliance with the ruling party.

“My belief and that of many other members opposed to working with the PF are based on a firm foundation that requires a big hammer to break. How can any normal and party-loving MMD member go to bed with the PF, the party that literally destroyed the MMD?

‘‘Those calling for an alliance with the PF can only be enemies of our party and are peddling personal interest. President Lungu has only sent an SMS to Dr Mumba and has given a condition that Dr Mumba should reconcile with former president Rupiah Banda,” Mr Keembe said.

He explained that it was the PF after winning the 2011 general elections that petitioned all the MMD parliamentary seats with the aim of obliterating the party.