Six Green Party members nabbed

SIX Green Party members were yesterday apprehended at the Supreme Court for attempting to register as part of their president Peter Sinkamba’s 200 supporters using other people’s documentation.
The first woman, who seemed to be in her 50s, carried a national registration card (NRC) with a different name of a person born in 1977.
The next man had another person’s voter’s card while the third one had another person’s NRC. Three others were two women and a man who also presented wrong documentation.
One of the women alleged that they were merely recruited by a Mr Phiri at a market, who gave them the documentation.
The six were exposed by Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) officers who were screening Mr Sinkamba’s 200 supporters, who then informed police officers who in turn bundled them in vehicles to Lusaka Central Police Station.
Mr Sinkamba, 50, who was scheduled to present his nomination papers between 12:00 and 14:30 hours, struggled to find the qualified 200 supporters but eventually managed and successfully filed in his nomination at 16:38 hours.
He said the leaders that were charged with finding 200 registered voters among his supporters had overlooked a number of things and hurriedly went through the process, hence the errors.
Earlier, Mr Sinkamba when presenting his affidavits to the Acting Chief Justice Lombe Chibesakunda, ECZ chairperson Irene Mambilima and ECZ director Pricilla Isaacs, said he was a resident of Kitwe and had assets worth more than K3 million, shares in five companies and debt worth about K600,000.

Forum for Democratic Alternatives Party (FDA) president Ludwig Sondashi was the first to file in his nomination at about 10:30 hours after presenting 200 qualified supporters.
Dr Sondashi, 73, declared his assets, including lodges and the Sondashi HIV Formula to a tune of K36 million and liabilities worth K600,000.
“I intend to take Zambia forward by releasing the pending Constitution and reduce the excessive powers vested in the president.
“I will recognise the 1964 Barotseland Agreement and federalise the provinces in order to spur investment,” he told journalists just after filing in his nomination.
The third that was scheduled to file in nominations was People’s Redemption Party president Jerry Sikazwe who opted to withdraw from the race in order to support Patriotic Front (PF) candidate Edgar Lungu.
Mr Sikazwe told Ms Justice Chibesakunda that there was nothing sinister about his withdrawal but after having fruitful discussions with another candidate (Mr Lungu) he decided to withdraw because the two had similar objectives.
Ms Justice Chibesakunda said it was noble of him to attempt to stand as president and it was noble of him to withdraw his candidature.

Times of Zambia