Earlier we published a video during filing in of nominations in Kawambwa where the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) was refusing to accept the nomination papers of the New Congress Party under the Tonse Alliance.
The officers said they needed to make consultation to whoever they did not mention. After a protracted argument, the NCP filed in successfully and was told to report tomorrow at 10AM.
Here is a version of the Tonse Alliance of what happened and how ECZ is trying to knockout the opposition alliance candidate from Kawambwa by-election.
TONSE ALLIANCE STATEMENT ON THE FILING IN OF A NOMINATION IN THE KAWAMBWA PARLIAMENTARY BY-ELECTION
Kawambwa, 21st November 2024
1. As TONSE ALLIANCE, we have, this morning, successfully filed in the nomination of our candidate, Mr. Danstan Mwansa, in the Kawambwa Parliamentary By-election. This parliamentary seat fell vacant after the incumbent MP, Hon. Nickson Chilangwa was unduly incarcerated on trumped up charges. He is currently serving a prison sentence at Mukobeko Maximum Prison.
2. However, the filing in of our nomination was not without incident. On commencement of the nomination process, the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) produced a printout, allegedly from the Registrar of Societies, which showed different office holders for the TONSE ALLIANCE member and preferred platform, New Congress Party (NCP), and completely omitted the Party President Mr. Peter Chanda. ECZ then claimed that the officeholders for NCP are different to those who had signed the Adoption Certificate, and that on that basis, they would not accept our nomination.
3. However, the TONSE ALLIANCE was able to produce annual returns for NCP for the past 10 years, which clearly showed the legitimate officeholders for the New Congress Party, who included President Peter Chanda. The TONSE ALLIANCE also pointed out that the so-called printout produced by ECZ had the name of the party written in pen, whereas the alleged officer holders were printed. In addition, the alleged ECZ printout showed that it was printed on 21st May 2024, which is about 7 months ago. We therefore told ECZ that their alleged printout was not current and could belong to any organization and not NCP. We further informed ECZ that for the past 10 years, Cabinet Office had been sending letters of invitation for national events, to Mr. Peter Chanda, in his capacity as Party President of the New Congress Party. Therefore, it was out of order for ECZ to produce unknown individuals as officeholders of the New Congress Party.
4. After a prolonged heated discussion, the Electoral Commission of Zambia was left with no option but to allow the nomination of the TONSE ALLIANCE Candidate standing on the NCP ticket, Mr. Danstan Mwansa, to proceed. The nomination process was finalized and the Returning Officer, Mr. O. Siwila, declared the TONSE ALLIANCE Candidate as duly nominated at 11:16hrs.
5. However, the TONSE ALLIANCE has received disturbing information that the Electoral Commission of Zambia headquarters in Lusaka, has instructed the Returning Officer in the Kawambwa Parliamentary by-election, to nullify the nomination of our duly nominated candidate, Mr. Danstan Mwansa, for unknown reasons. We are currently seeking to verify this information, but we wish to warn and caution ECZ not to take us, and by extension, the Zambian people for granted. Zambia is a constitutional democracy and all of us have a right to participate in the country’s electoral process. We shall keep the nation informed of any new developments in this matter, but be rest assured that the TONSE ALLIANCE is firmly in this Kawambwa race. Thank you.
ISSUED BY:
Sean E. Tembo
PeP President and TONSE ALLIANCE Spokesperson
Kawambwa, Zambia.
On the picture PF Vice president Given Lubinda led the Tonse Alliance after filing in.