10 Presidential Aspirants To Scramble For Plot One

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.

Posted by Admin on August 13, 2011. Filed under POLITICS. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry