United Party for National Development (UPND) Vice President Richard Kapita has announced that the party, will today, 12th August, 2011 officially announce to the public the 150 adopted parliamentary and local government candidates for the forthcoming general elections.

Mr Kapita said that his party’s delay in announcing the adopted parliamentary candidates was a strategy to stop other political parties from picking its members who have not been adopted.

Mr. Kapita said that the party decided to take time to announce the adopted candidates because it knew the ruling MMD would have had approached its members to bribe them to join the party.

In an interview with QFM, Mr. Kapita said that the list of adopted candidates to be announced will be the genuine one unlike speculations on some candidates who have not even been adopted by the party.

The UPND Vice President said that the party was transparent in its adoption process, noting that it ensured that the seats were allocated to credible candidates.

However, the ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) has said that the delay by the opposition political parties to announce their adopted parliamentary candidates is a sign of defeat.

MMD acting secretary general Chembe Nyangu wondered what has delayed the announcement of candidates by the opposition when they were pressurizing president Rupiah Banda to dissolve parliament and announce the date of elections.

[pullquote]Mr. Kapita said that the list of adopted candidates to be announced will be the genuine one unlike speculations on some candidates who have not even been adopted by the party.[/pullquote]

Mr. Nyangu has questioned what the opposition political parties want to believe that 2011 is a year of elections for them to announce their candidates.

In an interview with QFM, Mr. Nyangu further questioned why the opposition is not ready when they were busy calling for announcement of the elections date.

Mr. Nyangu has since advised the opposition to come out in the open and announce their failure to participate in the forthcoming elections.

QFM

Filing in of nominations for parliamentary aspiring candidates is taking place countrywide today. Aspiring candidates are expected to file in their nominations at nomination centres in their constituencies before returning officers who are the town clerks.

Various aspiring candidates from different political parties are expected to provide necessary documents before their nominations can be declared valid.

Meanwhile, Filing in of Nomination papers for presidential candidates which started on Sunday ends on today.

And The Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) has condemned political parties that have imposed Parliamentary candidates on the people.
FODEP president Alex Ng’oma in an interview with Qfm says it is justified for people on the grassroots of a political party to reject their adopted candidates if they are not wanted.

Dr. Ng’oma who is also a political analyst says it is unfortunate that the claim by political leaders of entrusting members on the grassroots level with powers to choose their candidates and make recommendations to the higher party organs is not practical.

He says the current rejections of some of the adopted candidates by the grassroots in various political parties should serve as a wake up call to the leaders that people should not be taken advantage of.

Dr. Ng’oma further explains that in a democratic dispensation, people must be allowed to choose their preferred candidates.

He has since called on political parties in the country to ensure that the will of the majority of their members is fulfilled.

Major political parties have been rocked by confusion over the adoption process of Parliamentary candidates which have resulted in some defections involving senior party members.

QFM/ZNBC

Heritage party president Godfrey Miyanda has successfully filed in his presidential nomination papers before Chief Justice Ernest Sakala at the Supreme Court.

Brigadier General Miyanda arrived at the Supreme Court at 11:30 hours accompanied by his daughter Loraine and son Simambo.

General Miyanda becomes the tenth presidential candidate to successfully file in nomination papers for the September 20 general elections.

Addressing the Cadres Gen. Miyanda urged them to go flat out and sell the party to the electorate without violence.

He says the country needs a new leader who is disciplined and who will bring sanity to all sectors of the economy.

And speaking to journalists General Miyanda said he has filed for presidency because some members of the grand coalition have already filed as presidential candidates.

He however says the grand coalition would have been the only way for the opposition to remove the MMD and the PF as front runners in this year’s elections.

Meanwhile, the communist party has withdrawn from the presidential race after failing to file in their nomination papers.

Party president Mubita Wakumelo says the party has failed to file in because the Electoral Commission of Zambia has advised them to change their party symbol which is in conflict with a symbol of another political party.

Mr Wakumelo says the party does not have sufficient time to choose another symbol and to circulate supporters.

Presidential Candidates who have already filed in their nominations include president Rupiah Banda of MMD, UPND’s Hakainde Hichilema, UNIP’s Tilyenji Kaunda, FDD’s Edith Nawakwi and NAREP’s Elias Chipimo Jnr.

Others are Ng’andu Magande of the National Movement for Progress, Michael Sata of the PF, Charles Milupi of the ADD and Dr Fred Mutesa of the Zambians for Empowerment and Development Party have also filed in their nominations.

ZNBC

Former Mkushi North Member of Parliament has been expelled from the MMD after she decided to stand as an independent candidate in the area.

Ms Changwe decided to stand on an independent ticket after being left out by the ruling party on the list of adopted parliamentary candidates for the 20th September polls.

MMD Central Province National Publicity Secretary Richard Yumbe says Ms Changwe has ignored advice from the party and gone ahead with her decision.

Mr Yumbe says the party in the province will soon write to the National Executive Committee informing the higher organ of the party of its decision.

Patricia Mwachingwele has also been expelled from the MMD following her decision to stand on the Patriotic Front ticket in Katuba, after she was not adopted by the MMD.

Mr Yumbe has told ZNBC News in Chibombo that he is confident that the ruling party will scoop all the 14 seats in the province.

Meanwhile, Adoption problems have continued in the Patriotic Front with Party member Beck Banda opting to contest the Bwacha seat as an Independent.

Mr. Banda who was flanked by his supporters says he will contest the seat as an independent or join another political party that will adopt him.

He says the PF adopted candidate Sydney Mushanga for Bwacha Constituency has been rejected by people at the grassroot.

Mr. Banda told ZNBC News that he got more marks during the PF adoption process and that he is a favourite in the constituency.

ZNBC

Patriotic Front Kabwata aspiring parliamentary candidate Given Lubinda has challenged his opponent Peter Machungwa to explain why he has been rejected by the people of Luapula where he had been MP for 20 years on the MMD ticket.

Mr. Lubinda has noted that if adopted by the PF, it will be easy for him to campaign and win the seat because Dr. Machungwa is not a threat.

The former parliamentarian says he has tried his best to take development to Kabwata constituency and has since challenged Dr.Machungwa to point out his contributions to the development of Luapula constituency during the time he served as a parliamentarian on the PF ticket.

But Dr. Machungwa says he is ready to face Mr Lubinda in the battle field.

He notes that the MMD government has done its best to deliver development and that it is up to the people of Kabwata to decide.

Dr. Machungwa adds that the MMD will in the next 40 days campaign vigorously in readiness for the polls.

QFM

Alliance for Democracy and Development (ADD) president Charles Milupi has noted that the lack of general consensus among the opposition political parties has contributed to fragmentation of the opposition in the country.

Mr. Milupi said that some opposition political parties that seem to be so popular have failed to reach an agreement with other political parties because they have the minority agenda.

He added that ADD had always indicated that it was ready to work with any party provided there was commitment from both parties to reach a general consensus.

Mr Milupi who successfully filed in his presidential nominations yesterday has however dismissed assertions that the increased numbers of political parties participating in this year’s elections will split the opposition vote.

He notes that the people of Zambia are able to vote for the people they feel will be able to deliver development and good leadership.

And Zambia Police Service Deputy Commissioner Solomon Jere has said the service will remain vigilant and ready to counter any form of violence during the election period.
Speaking in an interview, Dr. Jere has expressed happiness at the conduct of political cadres during the ongoing filing in of presidential nominations.

He says the peace currently prevailing at the Supreme Court is encouraging and has urged cadres to maintain tranquility during election and after the 20th September poll.

The Police deputy Commissioner explains that this year’s polls should be violence free adding that the police will not hesitate to pounce on any law breaker.

He has since called on all political cadres to cooperate with the police in order to ensure that no form of violence is recorded in the forthcoming tripartite elections.

Dr. Jere says the police service will always uphold professional standards and endeavor to ensure that Zambians are protected from any form of mischief.

QFM

The Controversy in the Opposition Patriotic Front over adoption of parliamentary candidates has deepened.

The much anticipated adoption in the opposition party is so much divisive that even families are on the verge on splitting

Former PF Munali Member of Parliament, Mumbi Phiri is reluctant to endorse her elder sister, Professor Nkandu Luo, who was adopted to replace her.

Mrs Phiri claims the decision by the PF central committee to adopt Professor Luo, has left a crack in her family, especially that she had never made her intentions known.

Efforts to get a comment from Professor Luo failed as her mobile phone was switched off.

Meanwhile, The Patriotic Front-PF said , once voted into office,it intends to decentralise powers to enable people make their own decisions from district to provincial level.

Speaking during a public forum organised by Media Institute for Southern Africa-(MISA)Zambian chapter at sunset lodge in Monze,Patriotic Front district chairperson Mackenzie Lungu said his party wants to see full participation of all Zambians by introducing ward councils in villages,Chief councils and also district chief councils.

”our party once voted in office after September 20,will make suere that we decentralise all powers to enable our people make their own decisions at both province and district levels”,Lungu said.

”This is aimed at making possible the information flow from the grassroots not what is happening with the MMD”,he added.
Mr Lungu added that his party will domesticate and implement the 2008 United Nations General assembly convention on the rights of persons with dissabilities as well as the review of the Persons With Disability act of 1996.

”our party is the only committed party in uplifting the living conditions of the less privileged in society and we will bring on board all the treaties that Zambia has signed including the 2008 United Nations General Convention on the right of persons with disabilities”,Lungu said.

”its sad that the country has failed to implement the treaties despite Zambia being the signatory to the many treaties”,he added.

The high success rate of filling in of nominations by different political parties point to a record number of presidential candidates in this year’s elections. The last highest number of presidential candidates was in 2001 which saw eleven candidates fight it out for plot one.

9 presidential candidates have successfully filed in for the race to plot one ahead of the 20th September elections. Only with the failure by Dr Cosmo Mumba’s NRP to participate in the presidential elections, and the withdraw by the ZDDM, the expected number of presidential candidates now stands at 15, from the total of seventeen who had shown interest to vie for the highest office in the country.

People’s Redemption Party(PRP) President Stephen Mwale who was expected to file in his nominations today, has asked the Electoral Commission to reschedule his timetable. Bishop Mwale was expected to lodge in his papers before Chief Justice Ernest Sakala at 12:00 hours after the MMD candidate.

ECZ Public Relations Manager Cris Akufuna confirmed to ZNBC News that Bishop Mwale will instead file his presidential nomination papers on Friday at 15:00 hours.

On Thursday, Heritage Party President Brigadier General Godfrey Miyanda, will open the filing in business with a date with the Chief Justice from 09 00 to 11 30 hours.

At 12 00 to 14 30 hours the same day, the Ndola based United Nationalist Party (UNP) is expected to join the race for plot one.

It will be only 30 minutes afterwards that the Zambian Conservative Party (ZCP) will drop ink on paper to join the race for presidential elections coming up on 20th September.

Friday will see the Zambia Progressive Party (ZPP) file in between 09 00 to 11 30 hours, with only an interval of 30 minutes in between that the Revolutionary Communist Party (RCP) will also declare their intention for the heavily contested seat in Zambia’s history.

With the request for deferment granted to the People’s Redemption Party to file in Friday, its president Bishop President Stephen Mwale will close the list of successful applicant for the office of president of Zambia.

And A University Of Zambia Lecturer, Neo Simutanyi says no political party will win with a majority in this year’s general elections.
Dr Simutanyi also says the 20th September polls will not be different from the 2001 general elections.

He has explained that this is because of the number of presidential candidates.

Dr Simutanyi, who is also Centre for Policy dialogue Director, has stated that there will be a split of votes, which will highly disadvantage the opposition.