Acting President Rupiah Banda says the long awaited presidential by-elections would be held on Thursday, 30th October 2008.

Mr. Banda said government started preparing for the holding of the presidential by-elections immediately Dr. Mwanawasa died to meet the constitutional requirement.

Zambia’s seat of republican presidency fell vacant after the death of President Levy Mwanawasa on August 19th, 2008.

According to Article 38, section one (1) and section 20 of the Electoral Act No. 12 of 2006, presidential elections should be held within 90 days of the death of a sitting president.

“Therefore, I have the honour to announce that the programme of conducting presidential by-election has been finally established. The presidential by-elections shall therefore be held on Thursday, 30th October 2008,” he said.

He said the Electoral Commission has already commenced preparations to hold elections.

He said the forthcoming elections would require substantial financial resources.

“In this regard, government welcomes financial assistance from cooperating partners and well wishers,” he said.

Mr. Banda has since appealed to Zambians to remain calm, peaceful and united during the pre-election period and urged political parties to conduct issue based campaigns in a clean and dignified manner.

At least three political parties have indicated participation in the forthcoming presidential by-elections.

These are the ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) and two opposition parties, United Party for National Development (UPND) and the Patriotic Front (PF).

The MMD has elected the Acting President, Mr. Banda as the presidential candidate while the UPND has fielded its leader, Hakainde Hichilema and the PF has chosen its president, Michael Sata for the presidential by-election.

Opposition United Liberal Party (ULP) and the All People’s Congress (APC) will not take part in the elections but would instead support the ruling MMD.

ZANIS/KSH/ENDS/MM

Centre for Elections and Governance (CEG) Zambia says government will spend less money if  it consider printing ballot papers locally.

CEG Trustee Gershom Musonda  said printing  of the ballot papers can be done locally to cut down the costs as compared to have them printed in South Africa,

He said the statement by Works and Supply Minister Kapembwa Simbao that government printers cannot run ballot papers for the forth coming presidential by- elections  was not true.

Mr. Musonda  comments comes in the wake of  a story in one of the tabloid stating that the new speed master machine which was installed recently is not able to do the job because there is no color mixer.

He said the speed master can not lack a key component like a color mixer saying the statement is misleading the members of the public.

CEG trustee Gershom Musonda said this through a statement released to ZANIS in Lusaka today.

Mr. Musonda said the fact that the machine is said not to be in good condition should not be used as an excuse to post pone the polls scheduled for November  as doing so  would be illegal.

He said Zambia police  is  in a position to monitor the printing process and distribution of the ballot papers to ensure there are no leakages.

ZANIS/VP/MK/ENDS

The Center for Elections and Governance (CEG)  has urged the Patriotic Front (PF) to resolve the internal wrangles  so as to foster unity in the party.

CEG Trustee Gershom Musonda said PF should maintain unity as it is one of the major political parties which can offer an alternative government and help reduce poverty in the country.

Mr. Musonda noted that PF has also been consistent in providing checks and balances to the ruling MMD resulting in effective implementation of some projects initiated by the MMD under the leadership of the late President Mwanawasa

Mr. Musonda said this in a statement made available to ZANIS in Lusaka today.

He said CEG it is concerned with the conflict within the party between its leader Michael Sata and some members of parliament who have been labeled as rebels for attending the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) .

Mr. Musonda said the MPs in question should instead reason with their leader in order to maintain party unity in view of the forth coming Presidential By-Elections.

He said the PF MPs should reciprocate and support the party they helped establish saying  supporters would not like to see a strong opposition party being weakened due to personal and internal differences.

Mr. Musonda has also urged the affected MPs to heed the call for reconciliation by PF spokesperson and Kabwata Member of Parliament Given Lubinda.

He also wondered why Mr. Sata and his MPs can not reconcile when the leader  had managed to reconcile with late  Dr Mwanawasa, a leader of another party.
ZANIS/CM/MK/ENDS

A Lusaka based social development consultant David Kasuba has supported  the call not to hold  the presidential by-elections

In a statement released to ZANIS, Mr. Kasuba  based his arguments  on the  1996  constitution which he said  currently bars most of the presidential candidates.

He stated that  the supreme courts correct and authoritative interpretation of the parentage qualification clause introduced in 1996 to bar Dr. Kenneth Kaunda from the 1996 elections, has in fact disqualified all Zambian citizens born prior to 24th October 1964.

Mr. Kasuba said the current presidential candidates were not born in Zambia, legally speaking, because they were born before Zambia came into being.

Meanwhile an opposition political leader in Kafue has urged the MMD government not to forgo the presidential by-elections but allow the constitution of the country to give direction on the way forward following the demise of President Levy Mwanawasa.

FDD Provincial Information and Publicity Secretary James Musemuna told ZANIS in Kafue today that the government has the duty to protect and safeguard the constitution .

Mr. Musemuna said suggestions to forgo the presidential elections will set a bad precedence for the countryHe said it is important that elections are held so that the constitutional requirements are fulfilled.
Mr Musemuna stated that the issue of money should not arise as government always sets aside a supplementary budget and donors have already shown willingness to assist the country in holding the elections.

ZANIS/YS/MK/ENDS.

The ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) has appointed Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services Mike Mulongoti as national campaign manager for Acting President, Rupiah Banda for the forthcoming presidential by-elections.

Mr. Mulongoti is also MMD chairman for elections.

The party has also appointed party chairman for information and publicity, Ben Tetamashimba as Mr. Banda’s election agent while party treasurer, Suresh Desai would be in charge of the finance committee of the national campaign committee.

MMD National Secretary Katele Kalumba said in a statement to ZANIS that Mr. Mbita Chitala would be in charge of administrative and logistical issues of the campaign.

Dr. Kalumba said this structure would be well coordinated between the campaign structures and organs in the party.

“I appeal to all our members and supporters to rise up to the occasion to give his honour, Mr. Rupiah Banda, MP, Acting President a landslide victory,” he said.

ZANIS/NS/KSH/END.

The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has set Tuesday, 14th October, 2008 as the date for the Kanchibiya constituency parliamentary by-elections.

The seat fell vacant following the death of area Member of Parliament (MP), Albert Kanyanyamina in July this year.

ECZ Public Relations Manager, Chris Akufuna said aspiring candidates in the by-elections should lodge completed and attested statutory declarations and nomination papers on 18th September, 2008 between 09:00hours and 15:00 hours.

Mr. Akufuna said the aspiring candidates would further be required to pay a K500, 000 non refundable nomination fee.

He said the candidates should take along with them nine (9) supporters who must be registered voters in the affected constituency as they.

Mr. Akufuna disclosed this in a statement released to ZANIS in Lusaka today.

He said the campaign period for the Kanchibiya by-elections commences on 17th September 2008 and will end at 18:00 hours on the 13th of October, 2008.

“The polls will take place on Tuesday 14th October, 2008, from 06:00hours to 18:00 hours. Aspiring candidates in the by-election should lodge completed and attested statutory declaration and nomination papers subscribed before a magistrate, local court justice, head of primary and secondary school, principal of college, commissioner of oaths,, election officer or returning officer on Thursday, 18th September between 09:00hours and 15:00 hours,” he said.

He further disclosed that registered non-governmental organisations wishing to monitor the elections should apply for accreditation from the ECZ on the 9th of September, 2008.

Mr. Akufuna added that the commission would only allow a maximum of 20 members per political party to accredit to monitor elections in the constituency.

“Please note that only a maximum of 10 accredited members per political party and two accredited representatives of NGOs shall be authorized to represent their respective political parties or NGOs at the collation centre,” Mr. Akufuna said.

He said not more than two members per participating political party will be allowed to witness counting of votes at the polling stations.

ZANIS/YK/KSH/ENDS.

A cross section of Lusaka residents have disapproved calls to forgo the presidential by-election.

The residents say it is a constitutional requirement for the nation to hold elections within 90 days after the death of the incumbent president.

In a survey conducted by ZNBC news, Monday, the residents said calls to forgo the Presidential election amount to abrogating the constitution.

The residents said the next president will not have people’s mandate if the elections are ignored.

The MMD has been trying to engage opposition political parties into discussions to forgo the presidential by-election.

The ruling party says it will be costly for the nation to hold the presidential by-election.

The proposal has been supported by some quarters but rejected by major opposition political parties.

And Southern Province Minister, Daniel Munkombwe, says the MMD should not be scared of subjecting acting president, Rupiah Banda, to an election.

Mr. Munkombwe says Mr. Banda’s chances of winning the forthcoming presidential by-election are very high.

He says the acting president has good credentials, which will enable him emerge victorious.

The minister says some opposition leaders who are suggesting that there should be no by-election may later start demanding for jobs from the MMD.

He told Journalists in Livingstone, Monday that although some of those opposing the holding of the election are genuine, most of them are job seekers.

Mr. Munkombwe appealed to Zambians to support Mr. Banda for him to effectively implement programmes initiated by President Mwanawasa.

[ZNBC]

The Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) has explained that it would not be unconstitutional for the ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) and opposition political parties to agree to support one candidate for presidency without holding presidential elections.

LAZ president, Elijah Banda however said it was currently necessary for the country to hold the presidential by- elections because some opposition political parties have already indicated willingness to contest.

The parties that have shown interest to contest the elections are Patriotic Front (PF) and the United Party for National Development (UPND).

Mr. Banda told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka today that it would not be unlawful if on the day of filing in presidential nominations, the ruling MMD and other opposition parties nominate one candidate.

“It would not be unconstitutional or illegal if all the political parties choose one person because it means on the day of nominations and elections, the chosen candidate will go unopposed,” he said.

He however said it was necessary under article 39 of the Constitution of Zambia for the country to hold the presidential by-elections within 90 days as some opposition political parties have indicated that they will participate in the elections.

Some leaders from the ruling MMD have proposed that opposition political parties should forego presidential by-election and instead rally behind acting President Rupiah Banda in November this year.

But major opposition political parties yesterday opposed the suggestion by the MMD saying it would be suicidal for political parties to forego the by-election and choose to support Mr. Banda.

The opposition political parties noted that it would not be good for Zambia to abrogate its own constitution and do something else through a transitional government without conducting a presidential by-election.

And various stakeholders have also insisted that the presidential by-elections should be held in line with the constitutional provision regardless of the costs involved.

The United Party of National Development (UPND) and the Patriotic Front (PF) have indicated that they will contest the by-elections while the New Generation Party, All People’s Congress (APC) and the Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) have backed out of the race.

The presidential seat fell vacant after the death of President Levy Mwanawasa on Tuesday, 19th August 2008, at Percy Military Hospital in Paris, France.

Dr Mwanawasa’s second and final five year term of office was due to end in 2011.

The victor in the presidential by election will serve the remainder of the late Dr Mwanawasa’s term before being subjected to another national election if readopted by the sponsoring party in 2011.

ZANIS/YK/KSH/ENDS.