The high success rate of filling in of nominations by different political parties point to a record number of presidential candidates in this year’s elections. The last highest number of presidential candidates was in 2001 which saw eleven candidates fight it out for plot one.
9 presidential candidates have successfully filed in for the race to plot one ahead of the 20th September elections. Only with the failure by Dr Cosmo Mumba’s NRP to participate in the presidential elections, and the withdraw by the ZDDM, the expected number of presidential candidates now stands at 15, from the total of seventeen who had shown interest to vie for the highest office in the country.
People’s Redemption Party(PRP) President Stephen Mwale who was expected to file in his nominations today, has asked the Electoral Commission to reschedule his timetable. Bishop Mwale was expected to lodge in his papers before Chief Justice Ernest Sakala at 12:00 hours after the MMD candidate.
ECZ Public Relations Manager Cris Akufuna confirmed to ZNBC News that Bishop Mwale will instead file his presidential nomination papers on Friday at 15:00 hours.
On Thursday, Heritage Party President Brigadier General Godfrey Miyanda, will open the filing in business with a date with the Chief Justice from 09 00 to 11 30 hours. At 12 00 to 14 30 hours the same day, the Ndola based United Nationalist Party (UNP) is expected to join the race for plot one. It will be only 30 minutes afterwards that the Zambian Conservative Party (ZCP) will drop ink on paper to join the race for presidential elections coming up on 20th September.
Full Article: Zambia: LusakaTimes.com | 2011 headed for a record number of presidential candidates for Zambia.