ZAMBIAN OPPOSITION FORCE ELECTIONS DATE ANNOUNCEMENT

Zambia’s lead opposition party, Patriotic Front Leader, Michael Sata claims that Republican President, Rupiah Banda was forced to announce the elections date after he allegedly wrote him a letter.

President Banda yesterday announced 20^th September 2011 as the day Zambians go to the polls to cast ballots in electing the head of state, Members of parliament as well as Local Government representatives.

But the outspoken opposition leader has told a local radio station that he had written to President Banda warning him of the consequences of taking the people of Zambia for granted by trying to delay the setting of the date of elections.

Under the Zambian constitution, the Republican President has vested powers to announce the elections date at his own time, but in consultation with the national electoral body, the Electoral Commission of Zambia.

Mr Sata claims that in his letter to President Banda dated 20^th July 2011, he noted that the deliberate failure to dissolve parliament had led to illegal expenditure by the Vice President, George Kunda, Ministers and their Deputies on the travels to all parts of the country in the name of carrying out the national duties.

Meanwhile, Mr Sata has pledged the re-birth of a constitution making process once elected into public office.

He has claimed that the current constitution is too porous and does not protect the rights of the Zambian people further saying the same constitution has allowed President Banda to remain president on the MMD ticket ,when it is a well known fact that he is still a UNIP member because he is on record of not having resigned from the party.