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New Heritage Party leader Chishala Kateka has questioned the Electoral Commission of Zambia’s (ECZ) timing in highlighting the rules for independent candidates.
Kateka said it was interesting that the ECZ only highlighted the case of someone filing as an independent candidate on the day Gary Nkombo, a UPND member, filed his nomination papers as an independent candidate.
In a statement issued in Lusaka on Thursday, Kateka said this clearly sent a strong message to Nkombo and other people standing as Independents but were still members of various political parties.
According to Kateka, the message relates to the constitutional and electoral law requirement for independent candidates.
She said under the current Zambian constitution and current electoral laws, a person should formally relinquish their political party membership at least two months before the nomination date to qualify as an independent candidate for the National Assembly.
Kateka said one of the key requirements for independent candidates was to meet the two-month rule.
“The two-month rule clearly states that you cannot have been a member of any political party for at least 60 days immediately preceding the nomination,” she said.
Kateka said in the current political dispensation where some animals were more equal than others, they were watching closely to see whether Robert Chabinga and those Members of Parliament that recently crossed the floor to UPND would be allowed to stand in the coming elections.
She referenced George Orwell’s _Animal Farm_ to describe the situation and urged the ECZ to apply the law consistently.
“ECZ, we urge you to do the right thing. Treat all those that have crossed within that 60-day period in accordance with the Constitution,” Kateka said.
She said the commission should ensure equal treatment for all individuals who have crossed to other parties within the 60-day period before nominations.
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