Five parliamentary candidates have resigned from the opposition UPND and have since filled in their nominations as independent candidates following the party’s decision to leave them out of adoption.

The five candidates have accused party president Hakainde Hichilema of adopting unpopular candidates he has close relation with.

One of the five candidates Joshua Ng’andu who claims to have been assured by Mr. Hichilema of a possible adoption has charged that the UPND leader will pay the price for imposing unpopular candidates.

Mr. Ng’andu says it is wrong for Mr. Hichilema to accuse the Patriotic Front of being undemocratic when his party has been engaging in under-hand methods to adopt candidates.

He has therefore challenged Mr. Hichilema to tell the nation why in nearly all the 19 constituencies in the province, the party has independents adding that in Mazabuka district alone has four UPND aspiring candidates who are contesting as independents.

Mr. Ng’andu says UPND will this year be buried because its leader has lost direction and preferred to support his old friends whom he says are unpopular.

Other candidates have charged that Mr. Hichilema can no longer be trusted because he has betrayed the provincial executive committee which had earlier recommended candidates according to the desire of the grass roots in their particular constituencies.

Those contesting as independents include, Eugene Munyama and Keith Chemu for Magoye constituency, Shadereck Mwiinga for Mazabuka central and a Mr. Nakanga for Chikankata constituency.

Efforts to get a comment from UPND spokesperson Charles Kakoma and his deputy Cornelius Mweetwa proved futile as both their mobile phones were unreachable by broadcast time.

QFM

In what appeared would be probably the highest number of contenders for plot one for this year’s 20th September polls, the final contestants are down to 10 compared to eleven in 2001.

Although 17 parliamentary candidates had earlier indicated they would battle it out through the ballot for state house this year, the filing in of nominations closed on Friday with only ten candidates.

Of the seven out of the race, some failed to raise the 2-hundred pre-conditional numbers of supporters, while others pulled the plug at the eleven hour for various reasons but largely due to inability to raise supporters or K10m presidential nomination fee.

The filing of nominations which started on Sunday 7th August, closed Friday 12th August at the Supreme Court in Lusaka, and saw duly nominated presidential candidates also declare assets.

Chief Justice Ernest Sakala has officially announced the names of the party leaders that have successfully filed in valid nominations at the close of the period as:

Candidate Party

1. Tilyenji Kaunda UNIP
2. Edith Zewelani Nawakwi FDD
3. Dr Fredrick Mutesa ZED
4. Elias Chipimo Jnr NAREP
5. Hakainde Hichilema UPND
6. Ng’andu Magande NMP
7. Rupiah Bwezani Banda MMD
8. Charles Milupi ADD
9. Michael Sata PF
10. Godfrey Miyanda HP

Political parties whose candidates pulled out of the race failed to raise the required number of supporters are:

11. Dr Cosmo Mumba NRP
12. ZDDM
13. Bishop Steven Mwale PRP
14. ZCP
15. RCP
16. ZPP
17. UNP

Bishop Stephen Mwale’s PRP had earlier requested the Electoral Commission of Zambia to defer the party’s filing of presidential nominations from Wednesday to Friday, which was granted.

But by close of nominations at 16 00 hours on Friday, PRP still failed to raise the required number of supporters and crashed out of the race.

Other parties fell through due to what appeared to be technical issues such as similarities in symbols and cited lack of time to redesign and circulate the same to members countrywide within six days of in of nominations, and later on campaigning ahead of the polls.

With the three political parties: ZPP, RCP and PRP that were scheduled to file in their presidential bids on Friday unable to meet numbers, the Supreme Court enjoyed quietude all day till nominations closed at 16:00 hours after the last candidate PRP finally pulled out.

Chief Justice Ernest Sakala thanked all candidates who have successfully fined in for the presidential.

Justice Sakala has also thanked cadres for their peaceful conduct during the nomination period which begun on 7th August, and commended the media for their cooperation.

ZNBC

Former UPND immediate past Pemba Member of Parliament David Matongo has resigned from the party.

And UPND Spokesperson Charles Kakoma says Mr Matongo has left the party because he was not adopted to re-contest the Pemba seat.

Mr Matongo who was until his resignation was also UPND treasurer General says he has left the party because the senior leadership in UPND has lost faith in him and hence his decision to leave in peace.

He says he is hopeful that UPND will reciprocate his gesture and discuss national development issues and not characters.

Mr Matongo says in his letter of resignation made available to ZNBC News in Lusaka that time has come for him to pursue other endeavors.

And Mr Kakoma says it is clear that Mr Matongo was never a true believer of the ideals of the party from the beginning in view of his action.

President Rupiah Banda says opposition political parties questioning the source of funding for the MMD Campaign must also disclose their sources.

And President Banda says he is happy to be in Chipata after being exposed to ridicule, and lies from the Opposition.

President Banda says his visit to the Eastern Province will give him a chance to explain issues to the people of Chipata in particular.

He says that even after declaring the election date, the opposition has continued to look for issues to get rid of his Presidential candidature.

President Banda says the MMD is confident of wining the elections, especially after holding its first campaign rally in Chibombo on Thursday which he has described as a success.

President Banda was speaking to journalists upon arrival at the Chipata Airport on Friday.

President Banda who arrived at about 16:25 hours is accompanied by first lady Thandiwe Banda, former Parliamentary Chief Whip Vernon Mwaanga, former Vice President Enock Kavindele and United Liberal party President Sakwiba Sikota among others.

The President was received at the airport by Eastern Province Permanent Secretary Eularia Mwale, Inspector General of Police Francis Kabonde, senior MMD and government officials.

And President Banda says the MMD is confident all its adopted parliamentary and local government candidates have successfully filed in their nominations.

The President hopes the opposition has also managed as some parties had not released their list of adopted candidates for the September 20, polls.

President Banda is in Eastern Province where he is on Saturday expected to hold a public rally at Chipata Golf Course.

On Sunday, President Banda is expected to hold another rally in Mfuwe.

United Party for National Development UPND President Hakainde Hichilema is the richest of the presidential candidates in this year’s general elections.

The UPND leader has declared assets worth of K46 billion.

This is according to the declaration of assets he has filed in his Presidential nominations before Chief Justice Ernest Sakala.

Mr Hichilema has declared land and buildings to be worth K 22 billion .

President Rupiah Banda has also declared assets valued at  K5. 8 billion.  President Banda’s assets included personal properties worth K2.8 billion  and K2billion cash at the bank.

Patriotic Front President Michael Sata has declared 7 guns worth K26 million , a Cresida Motor Vehicle valued at K15 million  and 20 000 shares in Chilanga Cement valued at K150 million .This is according to figures obtained by ZNBC News in Lusaka on Friday.

Charles Milupi of the Alliance for Democracy and Development ADD has declared K35 billion worth of assets.  Mr Milupi’s assets include 60 000 shares in CEC valued at K4 billion , 100 000 shares in Lafarge Cement valued at K750 million  and 60 per cent shares in Tiiseza Zambia Limited valued at  K1.8 billion. Mr Milupi’s other assets include Six Motor vehicles, a Tractor, Gun and K3 billion cash at the Bank.

National Movement for Progress Party President Ng’andu Magande has declared assets valued at K6 billion.  Mr Magande’s assets include popota farm in Choma, three motor Vehicles and a short gun.

FDD President Edith Nawakwi is worth K4 billion  after she declared her assets before the Chief Justice.  Ms Nawakwi’s assets include motor vehicles and a farm in Lusaka west.

The Zambia for Empowerment and Development President Dr Frederick Mutesa has declared assets worth more thanK3 billion. Dr Mutesa’s assets include three Motor Vehicles worth K300 million  and a double story house valued at K 3.5 billion.

Heritage Party President Godfrey Miyanda has declared a small holding property estimated at K1 billion and a Four bed roomed house.

[ZNBC]

There was confusion today at Katuba nomination centre when two PF parliamentary candidates showed up to file their nomination papers at the same time.

The incident happened at Mwanjuni Basic School in Katuba constituency. The two candidates reportedly had adoption certificates, but the other had a letter of withdrawal for the other candidate.

Electoral Officer John Manganda told ZNBC news that the two candidates have been sent back to their secretariat to resolve the matter and none was allowed to file in nomination papers.

And the PF have withdrawn their candidature for Kasenengwa Parliamentary seat. The party had adopted Grace Mwanza to contest on its ticket. The party has written to Electoral Commission of Zambia, District Electoral officer for Kasenengwa indicating that it has withdrawan sponsorship for Ms Mwanza.

Elsewhere, five political parties have so far successfully filed in their parliamentary nomination for Lusaka Central. Patriotic Front’s Guy Scott was the first to file in his nomination. The second was the MMDs Muhabi Lungu. He told ZNBC that he was confident that his party will carry the day owing to the works they have managed to achieve so far.

United Party for National Development candidate Charles Msiska has also successfully filed in his nomination.

National Revolution Party -NRP candidate Cephas Chansa was the third to file his nomination.

Mr Chansa says he will work aggressively to upgrade the constituency because it has been neglected for a long time.

He was flunked by NRP President Cosmo Mumba who says that he will help his MP to make a difference in the constituency especially that he was the youngest politician in parliament.

Zambia Direct Democracy Movement ZDDM candidate Edwin Sakala was the fourth to file in his nomination.

Earlier Mr Sakala was turned back by the returning officer, Hellen Mubita because he had incomplete documents.

National Democratic Party- NDP candidate for Lusaka Central David Kasuba was also turned back because he did not sign his statutory declaration and the declaration of compliance.

Among other documents parliamentary must have include nine supporters, two witnesses, 5 hundred thousand nomination fee, a letter from a sponsoring political party authorizing the candidate to stand as an MP and a photo of the candidate.

Mr Kasuba has since successfully filed in his nominations.

In Nchelenge, MMD’s Benjamin Mwila has filed in his nomination for the September 20th elections.

Mr Mwila immediately appealed to the electorates to rally behind President Rupiah Banda and the MMD because of the various socio-economic achievements he has scored.

Mr. Mwila has also called on the voters in Nchelenge Constituency to give him another chance as their Member of Parliament.

National Movement Party’s (NMP) Nchelenge Constituency Parliamentary Candidate Daniel Christopher Musonda has also successfully filed in his nomination papers.

Mr. Musonda successfully filed in his nomination to contest the elections at 11:49 hours.

The Patriotic Front (PF) Nchelenge Constituency Parliamentary Candidate, Raymond Mpundu has also successfully filled in his nomination papers.

Mr. Mpundu’s papers were officially declared valid by the Returning Officer, Danny Chibinda at about 12:30 hours.

By Press time UNIP, UPND and two other independent candidates were yet to file in their nomination Papers.