Panji Kaunda qualifies to be nominated MP, KK cleared his debt-Lubinda
TIME PUBLISHED - Friday, October 7, 2011, 10:51 am
Information, Broadcasting and Tourism Minister Given Lubinda said that Defence Deputy Minister Panji Kaunda qualifies to be nominated in his position.
Commenting on the media reports that Col Panji Kaunda did not qualify to serve as member of Parliament at a Press briefing in Lusaka yesterday, Mr Lubinda said that Col Kaunda’s issue of being bankrupt was addressed when the Former President Kenneth Kaunda paid Hybrid Poultry Farm Limited the amount Colonel Kaunda owed.
Mr Lubinda advised the media that it was important to carry out research on the matter before publishing any story relating to Col Kaunda.
Earlier this week, the Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) Executive Director McDonald Chipenzi said that the appointment of Colonel Panji Kaunda as Member of Parliament and deputy defence minister, contravened article 65 (1)(b) of the constitution because he was declared bankrupt by the courts.
Mr Chipenzi went on to explain that article 65 (1)(b) stated that a person shall not be qualified to be elected as a member of the national assembly if that person is an undischarged bankrupt, having been adjudged or otherwise declared bankrupt under any law in force in Zambia.
The FODEP executive director called on republican President Michael Sata to either reconsider Colonel Kaunda’s appointment or disclose to the nation that Colonel Kaunda is no longer a bankrupt person.
Colonel Panji Kaunda was declared bankrupt by the High Court of Zambia in January 2004 for owing Hybrid Poultry Farm Limited K121,703,436.
Labels: FODEP, GIVEN LUBINDA, KENNETH KAUNDA, MCDONALD CHIPENZI, PANJI KAUNDA
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FODEP urges information on deleted voters
By Sandra Lombe in Livingstone
Sat 13 Nov. 2010, 03:59 CAT
FODEP has requested the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to supply information on the deleted voters from the current voters roll.
Forum for Democratic Process (FODEP) however commended ECZ for constantly updating stakeholders on the progress of the registration process by disclosing the total number of newly registered voters and those that had updated their details so far.
“However, we note with concern that the Commission’s update lacked information on the number of voters who have been deleted from the current register as records from updates still reflect the old number of 3.9 million voters.
“In this regard, FODEP would like to request the ECZ to furnish stakeholders on how the exercise of cleaning the current voter’s register of the deceased voters is progressing and how many people have so far been deleted,” stated FODEP information officer McDonald Chipenzi.
“This will help establish the actual number of voters on the provisional register and help stakeholders strategise on how to mount campaigns with relevant institutions and individuals in supplying the necessary information on people who need to be deleted.
“The lack of information on the number of people that have been deleted from the register might be either a sign that the current approach of removing the deceased is not bearing fruits or otherwise.”
Chipenzi stated that FODEP feared that without information and proper handling of the issue of cleaning the register of deceased voters would not resolve the fears among stakeholders that had described the current register as an obsolete one.
He stated that this would also affect the upcoming new register.
“...without paying serious attention to the negative effects that such groups of people may create on the register, it would be impossible for Zambia to have a current and regular register devoid of ghost voters in the 2011 tripartite elections and would be a great departure from the principles of the continuous voter registration system,” he stated.
Chipenzi appealed to the ECZ to strongly reflect on the need to establish effective inter-institutional linkages with other relevant government ministries and institutions such as the Ministry of Health, Prisons, Courts, the Immigration Department in the Ministry of Home Affairs and traditional leaders in establishing the number of people that needed to be removed from current register.
“Having people who are not supposed to be on the register just swells up the number of registered voters but when actual voting comes, such people don’t cast their votes creating an impression that there has been high levels of voter apathy,” stated Chipenzi.
Labels: ECZ, FODEP, MCDONALD CHIPENZI
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Solwezi by-elections will not be free nor fair – FODEP
Wednesday, November 18, 2009, 13:52
Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) spokesperson MacDonald Chipenzi says
the Solwezi Central by-election, slated for November 19, will be marred by serious electoral malpractices.
Mr. Chipenzi attributed his prediction to the on going
violence,
food distribution and
vote buying that has characterized the campaigns in the constituency ahead of the elections.
He said in an interview with ZANIS, today, that there cannot be any level playing field when political parties vying for the Solwezi Central seat were all engaged in serious electoral malpractices like violence and vote buying.
He said the Solwezi Central by-election will not be free nor fair as all parties contesting in the by-election have abrogated the electoral code of conduct through their involvement in violence and other electoral misconduct ahead of the by-election.
Mr Chipenzi said that there will be need to strengthen the electoral code of conduct before the 2011 presidential and parliamentary elections in order to punish political parties found wanting for abrogating the electoral code of conduct.
He said this would save the country from going through expensive appeals, saying the current indication would be that the losers in the Solwezi Central by-election would not want to concede defeat because of the alleged electoral malpractices.
The spokesperson noted that the Solwezi Central by-election should make politicians to start appreciating each other and desist from politics of character assassination.
He said the Solwezi Central by-election should offer a perfect example for political parties to go back to the drawing board and learn to promote peace, dialogue and co-existence before the nation goes to the polls in 2011.
Mr Chipenzi further urged eligible electorates in Solwezi Central constituency to turn up in their numbers and vote for their preferred candidate who could serve them better.
ZANIS
Labels: BY-ELECTIONS, FODEP, MCDONALD CHIPENZI
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