Governance, Elections, Advocacy, and Research Services (GEARS) Initiative Zambia says the proposed upward adjustment in nomination fees for the 2021 General Elections are very exorbitant and beyond the reach of majority candidates.
Organization Executive Director McDonald Chipenzi told Money FM News in an interview that participation in elections will now be a preserve of the rich or those with money and the powerful in society.
“We are now merchandising elections in Zambia which may lead to poor service delivery and representation of the people in wards, districts and constituencies including at national level as those that will manage will first work to loot back their money.”
“Imagine a K25, 000 payment to ECZ as nomination fee, add up another, say K15, 000 party application fees demanded by political parties which will bring the total to K40, 000 for nominations and applications for adoption for elective positions which is just far too much for people living in a country with a struggling economy and majority are poor,” Mr. Chipenzi stated.
Mr. Chipenzi stressed the need for the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to facilitate effective citizen’s participation in the electoral process which accommodates both the poor and the rich.
“Is this not selling/auctioning the electoral process to the highest bidder which includes shylocks? How many youth, women and disabled persons will manage to raise these fees for nominations and applications just for adoption and then raise election campaign funds?”
“This is commercialization of elections and suffocating our electoral democracy and rendering ECZ as a capitalist agent,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the Patriotic Front (PF) said it does not support the upward adjustment of nomination fees announced by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ).
PF Secretary General Davies Mwila said in a statement that the proposed upward revision is not only discriminatory, but it would also be tantamount to the commercialization of participation in democratic processes.
Mr. Mwila called for a downward adjustment of the fees in order to safeguard the country’s democracy.
“As a militant organization of revolutionary peasants, workers and intellectuals that believes in equitable participation in the affairs of our nation by all citizens regardless of socio-economic status, the Patriotic Front wishes to register its strongest displeasure with the proposed upward revision of nomination fees as recently announced by the Electoral Commission of Zambia.”
“Patriotic Front remains committed to the participation and representation in democratic processes of youth, women and differently abled persons as a matter of right and not privilege. We support their proportional representation in Parliament as proposed under Bill 10, and we further call for lower nomination fees in order to maximize involvement of the youth, women and differently abled persons in running the affairs of the nation,” Mr. Mwila said.
Yesterday, the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) announced that it has adjusted upwards nomination fees for all candidates wishing to contest the 2021 General Elections.
According to the proposed fees, male presidential candidates will now be required to pay K150, 000 from K60, 000 while female presidential candidates and persons with disabilities will pay K120, 000 from K60, 000.