Patriots for Economic Progress (PEP) President Sean Tembo has asked the Constitutional Court to stop the Electoral Commission of Zambia from getting fresh nomination fees from candidates from for the Kabwata Parliamentary seat.
Mr. Tembo says those who already paid the 15 thousand Kwacha should NOT be made to pay again.
He says doing so will disadvantage small political parties.
Mr.Tembo has argued that the decision by ECZ to demand for fresh payment is irrational and unfair.
This is according to a petition filed in the constitutional court were Mr Tembo has sued the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ).
Yesterday the ECZ called for fresh nomination for the election which will be held in February 3, 2022 in Kabwata.
The date for the by-election was pushed forward after the UPP Candidate withdrew from the race and resigned from his party.
ECZ is one useless institute.
The most logical thing the ECZ can do is to fine the withdrawing candidate and their party. The other candidates should not be asked to pay fresh fees unless they were not in the original list.
ECZ is like ACC
1.The chap who chickened out and caused this should be made to pay dearly to settle the costs of the fees other candidates payed in the work of fresh nomination. If that chap is allowed to go scotch free, we have a serious problem in the electoral process.
2. Sean is right and wrong
a) Right in the sense that it is unfair to make him pay twice for the nomination of the same bye election. Unless the electoral process clearly stipulates that nomination fees are non refundable, Tembo should not pay again.
b)Wrong in that Unless bye elections are budgeted or funded, I take it ECZ should charge to cover the cost of ballot printing. At what level did the poor chap withdraw? ECZ had advanced in the preps.
Imwe please, whether you pay or not, nima ZERO YEKHA YEKHA!
Nkala vimatak0 vako pansi, since you bitter insignificant opposition Clowns reckon such silly language is acceptable as “idioms”
I find myself agreeing with MR ZERO PERCENT here.
This is Fraudulent behaviour from ECZ ,they need to be considerate,they are not a Profit making organisation,we the people fund their function.
Yes its not right to pay nomination fees again its not like ECZ uses the fees to print ballot papers or as a fundraising event but then again its pointless going to court and crying when you have not referred to the what the consitution or guildlines state. Sean Tembo just says “doing so will disadvantage small political parties” without quoting any clauses in ECZ guildlines.
Should ECZ also demand free new ballot papers since they already paid the Dubai printer? If you are a small party and cannot afford the cost of democracy what are you doing? You want your small and poor party to form government so that they steal? This is not ECZ fault. It is the constitution which General Miyanda WARNED the country about. He was a lone voice urging Lungu not to assent to the worst constitution Zambians have ever had. The Technical committee that wrote this law should be sent to Mars.
THE SAINT – It doesnt work like that you try telling a printer to reprint wedding invitation cards for free just because you postpone it.
Just see who is taking this matter to court?
Mr Zero what difference will it make to you?
The two big parties are willing to pay so why
Waste your time?
This is how ecz operates under the upnd. They have employed money hungry crooks to be in charge of elections. Oh god I pray for this country
A sober way to look at this is to consider what processes the costs or fees cover. Once we know that we can easily rationalize them and work out a change to the ECZ act commensurate with a new reality. I suspect the fees directly impact the operation of a part of the electoral process leading up to and including the election day itself. Ndiye mwamene nuvionela neo. An end product always hides the lead up.
He still holds a grudge against ecz like they were the reason he got zeros…kwatu kulibe kembo boi uza sakila uzalema but zero sean tembo
Sean T maybe leader of a small party with zero votes but what he is saying affects even those who think they are a big party. Going to court won’t help him because it’s law and it’s this law that must be lobbied against through parliament or repealed during amendment to the Constitution. Making fun of the man makes look more ignorant and proud without sight.
Amazing to note that these guys with zambian flags such as @Deja Vu, are now thinking so intellectual under UPND. Under PF baffikala were terrified sheep.
Without reading the article I can tell Sean is wrong, Sean is like way ward Kaizar
Why was the elections law tampered with? can those who did this or their surrogates please explain the rationale for cooking up such a mess? Bo Lubinda where are you? Who were you trying to fix? The ECZ is simply following the law as legislated by the ‘experts’
#15 Nostradamus… there’s nothing I can say but call misfit. You can’t be insulting people just like that unless you were born prematurely to an imbecile.
Kalok – Its not up to ECZ to decide what is fair and what is not …this is where ST is misleading you …ECZ has no power whatsoever to do whatever you are suggesting as it is guided by the constitution if you want changes lobby for constitutional reforms. Asking ECZ to undertake changes is like players on the football pitch asking a Ref to change the rules in the game.
I do not take kindly to Sean Tembo on his approach to the ‘New Dawn’ as it’s still grappling with and grasping a functioning governance system. However his concern with ECZ is being factual and it is a challenge for the entire elections process! I wonder what would happen if another nominee decided to pull out in same fashion as currently being addressed then another one follows suit ad infinitum it could mean ECZ raking in free money and no parliamentary representation for the concerned constituency!
No ideas, no real party, just fighting with ECZ now. These tuntemba parties are just a problem
Zambia is one giant mess. Everything is a mess. You vote in a new government hoping for change, it’s a mess. What a mess of a country.
Can you sue Edgar lungu.
This definitely the way to go. The courts have the power to overturn a bad law . Actually the real test of the is when the court interprets a parliament act which ECZ is hiding behind.
The withdrawing candidate who caused the ballot halt must be a second defendant or court subpoenaed during trial. He morally and ethically unbalanced perhaps was not worth to be on the ballot in the first place. His party must be tasked to explain how the imposter was selected. Was he just hired? Are political parties guided by some philosophical ideals?