ECZ to announce date for 5 bye-elections Courtesy - Lusaka times The Electoral Commission of Zambia has disclosed that it will next week announce the dates for five constituencies following the landmark Supreme Court judgment delivered on Friday. ECZ Chairperson Justice Ireen Mambilima announced that by elections will be held in Kasenengwa, Mkushi South, Vubwi, Solwezi Central and Zambezi West constituencies. She has however clarified that the Commission will not hold by-elections in Malambo, Mulobezi and Petauke Central constituencies until determination of the matter in the Supreme Court. “We will be announcing the dates for the by elections next week, we shall meet to determine those dates and we shall be announcing the dates next week now that these issues have been resolved by the courts but I need to emphasize that it is for the five constituencies that were subject of the rulings for yesterday. The by elections for… I think for Malambo, Petauke Central and Mulobezi, that matter is still pending in the Supreme Court and there is a stay which was granted in the Supreme Court for the judgement of the High Court not to be implemented,” Justice Mambilima said. “So that one we shall wait for the Supreme Court again to make their rulings, so for those others, by early next week, we shall be announcing the dates for those by elections and off course we have the Mangango which is…we shall have the nominations I think its Thursday next week so Mangango is on course,” she said. She was speaking in Lusaka during a media luncheon held for the ECZ Media Corps at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre. Meanwhile, Justice Mambilima has challenged Acting President Wynter Kabimba to explain to the nation about the Kenyans he smuggled into Zambia to conduct the Parallel Voter Tabulation during the 2011 general polls. She has stressed that Mr. Kabimba is better placed to avail more details on the matter. “We cannot say more about that issue, as a Commission we believe Mr Kabimba is in a better position to clarify that matter,” she said. Justice Mambilima maintained that elections conducted the ECZ are done in a transparent manner and the Commission has no control over electoral malpractices some candidates are engaged in. She has since called on the media to play their active role in sensitizing people on the delimitation exercise. Justice Mambilima said the delimitation sittings which will begin soon shall be publicized in the local papers in order to encourage local participation.
Posted on: Sat, 05 Jul 2014 19:00:02 +0000