— Nomination date set for January 20th, Presidential By-elections

Nomination date set for  January 20^th, Presidential By-elections

Lusaka, November 19^th, 2014, ZANIS —  The Electoral Commission of Zambia has set 17^th, 18^th and 19^th December 2014 as nominations dates for the Presidential By-elections.

And the accreditation of Local and International monitors will be decentralised to districts  while that of international will be done from Lusaka.

Presidential candidates should lodge  duly completed  and attested statutory declaration of assets and liabil8ities, oath or affirmations of Zambian citizenship, declaration of compliance of the Electoral Code of conduct (ECC 1) and nomination papers to the Chief Justice on the said dates between 09:00 hours and 17:00 hours at the Supreme court of Zambia.

This is contained in a statement released in Lusaka this evening and signed by ECZ Public Relations Manager Crispin Akafuna.

Mr. Akufuna says candidates should also present sponsorship letters from their respective political parties adding that the respective candidates should advise the Commission on the time they would wish to lodge in their nomination papers.

He adds that candidates should have 200 supporters who he said must be registered voters possessing green national registration cards and voters cards.

“All candidates will be required to pay K 10, 000 ( Ten thousand kwacha)  non-refundable nomination fee, “ he said.

The Polls shall take place on the 20^TH January 2015 between 06:00 hours and 18:00 hours. The ECZ has meanwhile announced that the 9official campaign for the by –elections commences today 19^th, November till 19^th January 2015.

And the accreditation of Local and International monitors will be decentralised to districts  while that of international will be done from Lusaka.

Mr. Akufuna says in the same statement registered civic organisations and political parties intending to  monitor or observe the polls should apply for accreditation from their respective District Electoral Officers while for international observers they would be required to do theirs at ECZ.

He disclosed that accreditation dates for international observers would be on 15^TH, December 2014 to 18^th January 2015, Local monitors on 15^TH December 2014 to 16^th January 2015 while for results centre dates are from 14^th December 2014b to January 18^th, 2015.

Applicants are advised by the ECZ that each  monitor or observer would be required to complete form ECC 2 , in compliance of the Electoral Code of Conduct.

On the accreditation of political party officials wishing to monitor the elections , Mr Akufuna says  up to twenty members from each party would be allowed.

He said in addition to this , not more than two political party agents will be allowed to witness the counting of votes at a polling station while two polling agents from political parties will be allowed.