ZAMBIAN ELECTIONS BODY EXTENDS PRESIDENTIAL ASPIRANTS NOMINATION DAYS

The Electoral Commission of Zambia has extended the period for filling of nominations for Presidential candidates by two days.

The nomination for aspiring Presidential candidates which was initially supposed to close on 10^th August has been extended to 12^th August due the high number of aspiring candidates.

But ECZ will not extend the nomination timetable for parliamentary and local government elections, which will be held on Friday, 12^th August.

Electoral Commission of Zambia Chairperson, Ireen Mambilima has disclosed this when she met Civil Society Organisations at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka on Thursday, 4^th August 2011.

Justice Mambilima says the schedule for filing of nominations was arrived at following consultations with all aspiring candidates yesterday.

According to the schedule, 17 presidential candidates are expected to contest for the Republican Presidency on 20^th September.

The lodging of nominations will start on Sunday, 7^th August with UNIP, FDD and Zambians for Empowerment and Development presidential candidates filing their nominations.

The nominations will be lodged at the Supreme Court before returning officer and Chief Justice Ernest Sakala.

On Monday, 8^th August, the National Restoration Party, the UPND and the National Movement for Progress will lodge nominations while the National Revolution Party, Patriotic Front and the Alliance for Democracy and Development will lodge their nominations on Tuesday, 9^th August.

The MMD, the People’s Redemption Party and the Zambia Direct Democracy Movement will file nomination papers on Wednesday, 10^th August while the Heritage party, the United Nationalist Party and the Zambian Conservative Party, will all file their nominations on Thursday, 11^th August.

The lodging of nomination papers will close on Friday, 12^th August with Zambia Progressive Party and the Revolutionary Communist party lodging nominations for their aspiring presidential candidates.

But the ECZ will not extend the nomination timetable for parliamentary and local government elections which will be held on Friday, 12^th August.