SANF 15 no 3 – by Patson Phiri in Lusaka, Zambia
All is set for presidential elections on 20 January when Zambia will choose a new leader following the death of Michel Sata in October 2014.
A total of 5,166,088 people have registered to vote in the landmark election, according to the Electoral Commission of Zambia.
Regional and international election observers have been deployed across the country to observe the elections.
At least 65 observers from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Election Observer Mission (SEOM) will observe the election.
The SEOM was launched in Lusaka on 10 January by the South African International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, who is head of the mission.
“As we head to Election Day, the challenge and responsibility of peaceful, free and fair elections will lie in the hands of the Zambian people,” she said.
“It is our expectation and hope that all political parties will, as usual, conduct themselves in a manner that contributes to a peaceful and democratic elections. This country has over the years conducted peaceful elections and has thus become a beacon of hope in democratic practice and culture.”
The expectations of the SEOM would be guided and measured mainly against provisions and requirements of the Zambia Constitution, as well as the SADC Treaty, the SADC Protocol on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation and the SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections.
Traditionally, SEOM observation is undertaken in three phases: the pre-election period, election-day and post-election phases.
The SADC observer mission is expected to interact with other regional and international missions including the African Union (AU) invited by the Zambia government to monitor the elections.
Former South African Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe is head of the AU election observer mission to Zambia.
The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), which has its headquarters in Zambia, has also sent a delegation of election observers from member states, headed by a Zimbabwean former judge and cabinet minister, Ambassador Simbi Mubako.
A total of 11 candidates will contest the presidential election on 20 January. These are Edgar Lungu, the leader of the ruling Patriotic Front.
He is the current Justice and Defence Minister, and during Sata’s reign, was bestowed with the honour of having to act as President on several occasions.
Lungu has promised to prioritize infrastructure development. He has also said that if elected, he will form a unity government to ensure that Zambia is developed.
“I want to form a government which will be very inclusive,” he said in one of his interviews.
Lungu will face challenge from Hichilema Hakainde of the main opposition United Party for National Development, who has participated in three presidential by-elections in 2006, 2008 and 2011, where he came out third.
Hakainde is campaigning on a platform of change, promising free education, enacting a new constitution by 2016, economic prosperity and uniting the country by forming a cabinet with representation from all the ten provinces.
“I want to use my experience in business to help others to grow economically,” Hichilema told his supporters during a rally in Western Zambia.
Other candidates are Chanda Eric of the Fourth Revolution Party, Elias Junior (National Restoration Party), Tilyenji Kaunda (National Independence Party) – son of Zambia’s first president Kenneth Kaunda, Brigadier general Godfrey Miyanda, who is former vice president and education minister, and Never Mumba of the Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD)
The other four candidates are Edith Nawakwi (Forum for Democracy and Development) – the only female candidate and former Finance Minister, Dan Pule (Christian Democratic Party), Peter Sinkamba (Green Party), and Ludwig Sondashi.
Acting President Guy Scott is constitutionally unable to participate in the elections as both his parents were not born in Zambia.
The winning candidate will become Zambia’s sixth president since the country got its independence from Britain on 24 October 1964.
The winning candidate will be in office until the next general elections scheduled for 2016. Zambia uses the first-pastthe-post electoral system for presidential elections. sardc.net
