◾The Composition of the ECZ Governing Structure.
◾Abolition of Nomination Fees, Charges and Other Costs Currently in Force for Political Parties and Individuals to Participate in Elections in Zambia.
By Chishala Kateka | NHP President.
Lusaka, Sept. 15 – Reference is made to the above captioned subject matters.
1. Composition of the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ).
The current arrangement, whereby the Republican President makes appointments of Commissioners, should be abolished as not only is it unfair giving the incumbent undue advantage over the other candidates but it’s also undemocratic and a possible recipe for conflict and disputed elections results.
Also Read: ECZ has no power to disqualify a candidate before they file nomination papers by Peter Sinkamba.
The New Heritage Party (NHP) demands that the Government move quickly to implement best practice, as regards the composition of the ECZ governing body, and make it more representative of the major stake holders – All the political parties in Zambia.
We propose that as a start, a proportional arrangement be adopted, based on the principle of equitable distribution of positions on the Commission. The details of the arrangement to be adopted must be arrived at using an all-inclusive consensus process. This must be effected before the 2026 General Elections.
2. Nomination Fees, charges and other costs for political parties and individuals to participate in elections in Zambia.
We wish to demand for the abolition of all nomination fees, charges and other costs imposed on Zambians wishing to participate in elections in this country, either as members of political parties or as individuals. These should be abolished forthwith, certainly before the next General Elections in 2026.
We make this demand based on the fact that these nomination fees, charges and other costs are actually illegal, unconstitutional, redundant and anti-democratic.
Also Read: A look at Kateka’s article: Zambia in a crisis.
This is so because, among many reasons, of the following;
i. As the current situation of fees and other costs subsists, the majority of our people, mostly the youth, the women, the disabled and other disadvantaged groups and individuals who cannot afford to participate to be elected to position of leadership of their choice, are denied their right to stand. This also denies their supporters the opportunity to vote in positions the candidates of their choice, as candidates end up being only the wealthiest, regardless of their unsuitability or indeed how they came about the said wealth.
ii. This requirement to meet a certain financial threshold to be able to participate in elections also poses a security risk to our country as it allows for vested malign forces, both within the country and more so outside the country to be able to meddle and influence the outcomes of the elections and future Government decisions, from a beholden leadership.
iii. Articles 27 and 37 of the Bill of Rights and 75 of the Zambian Constitution gives every adult Zambian citizen the right to participate in political activities and to vote, and this right is without discrimination or conditions bordering on the social economic status of those being voted for. We wonder why the ECZ would presume to introduce such regulations to violate the Constitution with such impunity.
iv. It is an anti-democratic act not dissimilar to the colonial rule of insisting on only a select few Africans to sit in the lower Native Assembly (part of the colonial parliament then) based on their social status and wealth. At the same time, the minority Europeans still dominated the parliament and made laws and decisions on behalf of the unrepresented African majority with the net effect of being oppressive, racist, generally anti-African and anti-democratic, when in fact, democracy is about rule of the majority.
v. Finally, the ECZ is a fully funded Government institution, paid for using Zambian tax payers’ money through the Treasury. There is, therefore, no need for the Commission to seek to raise extra funds by charging for its services. Access to these services is at the root and centre of everything that the Zambian independence struggle was all about, “One Man One Vote”!
Being asked to pay fees in order for a Zambian to participate in an election as a candidate, is in direct contradiction with the foregoing ethos which our gallant men and women fought for and against colonial rule.
It is, therefore, our prayer that your esteemed good offices will move with all due diligence, urgency and alacrity to respond to these humble requests made in the Zambian national interest.
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