THE OPPOSITION PATRIOTIC FRONT LEADERS HAVE MAINTAINED THAT THEY ARE READY FOR THE ELECTIONS AND WARNED THE RULING MMD TO BE READY FOR CHANGE THIS YEAR.

IN AN INTERVIEW WITH RADIO PHOENIX, THE PF LEADER MICHAEL SATA SAYS PRESIDENT BANDA HAS BEEN FORCED TO ANNOUNCE THE ELECTION DATE FOLLOWING CALLS FROM THE VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS ON THE RULING MMD TO STOP ABUSING THE NATIONAL RESOURCES.

AND THE NATIONAL REVOLUTION PARTY PRESIDENT DR COSMO MUMBA HAS WELCOMED THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE ELECTION DATE AND FURTHER URGED ALL POLITICAL PLAYERS TO FIELD IN ONE CANDIDATE IF THEY ARE TO REMOVE THE RULING MMD.

DR MUMBA WARNED THAT THE ABUSE OF PUBLIC RESOURCES WILL HAVE TO BE INVESTIGATED BY WHICHEVER GOVERNMENT COMES INTO POWER.

YESTERDAY HERITAGE PARTY PRESIDENT BRIGADIER GENERAL GODFREY MIYANDA ALSO ECHOED THE SAME SENTIMENT THAT THE OPPOSITION IN THE COUNTRY SHOULD UNITE TO OUST THE RULING MMD OUT OF POWER THROUGH THIS YEAR`S GENERAL ELECTIONS.

AND THE FOUNDATION FOR DEMOCRATIC PROCESS PRESIDENT DR ALEX NG’OMA SAYS THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE ELECTION DATE SHOULD SERVE TO REDUCE ANXIETIES AMONGST ALL POLITICIANS.

HE HAS FURTHER ADVISED THE GOVERNMENT TO BE SEEKING  NATIONAL CONSENSUS ON ISSUES OF PUBLIC INTEREST CITING THE PRINTING OF BALLOT PAPERS OUTSIDE THE COUNTRY.

AND THE UNITED PARTY FOR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT SPOKESPERSON CHARLES KAKOMA SAYS THE  ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE ELECTION DATE SHOULD NOT BE A PRESERVE FOR THE PRESIDENT BUT SHOULD BE ENSHRINED IN THE NATIONAL CONSTITUTION.

MEANWHILE,

THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION OF ZAMBIA SAYS THE COST OF PRINTING BALLOT PAPERS IS ESTIMATED TO BE IN THE RANGE OF 40 TO 43BILLION KWACHA EVEN THOUGH THE COMMISSION ONLY BUDGETED ABOUT OVER 15BILLION KWACHA FOR THE EXERCISE.

SPEAKING TO JOURNALISTS THIS MORNING AT MULUNGUSHI INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTRE IN LUSAKA TODAY, ECZ CHAIRPERSON JUSTICE IREEN MAMBILIMA SAYS THE COST OF PRINTING THE BALLOT PAPERS WILL ALSO CATER FOR OTHER COSTS SUCH AS PEOPLE GOING TO SOUTH AFRICA FROM DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS TO MONITOR THE PRINTING PROCESS.

JUSTICE MAMBILIMA HAS  SINCE APPEALED TO ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS TO APPOINT CREDIBLE PERSONS TO MONITOR THE PRINTING PROCESS OF BALLOT PAPERS SO AS TO REMOVE THE FEARS OF INSECURITY WHICH CERTAIN ORGANIZATIONS HAVE BEEN RAISING IN THE PREVIOUS ELECTIONS.

SHE REITERATED THAT THE COMMISSION IS READY FOR THE ELECTIONS AND HAS PUT IN ALL SECURITY MEASURES AS PER REQUIREMENT FROM STAKEHOLDERS WHO RAISED THE CONCERNS DURING THE PREVIOUS ELECTIONS.

MEANWHILE JUSTICE MAMBILIMA HAS DISCLOSED THAT THE COMMISSION WILL TOMORROW PRODUCE THE ELECTIONS TIMETABLE WHICH WILL CONTAIN THE ELECTION TIME FRAME ADDING THAT THIS IS EXPECTED TO BE FOLLOWED BY ALL POLITICAL PLAYERS.

MEANWHILE SPEAKING DURING THE SEMINAR FOR TRADITIONAL LEADERS TO DISCUSS THEIR ROLE IN  THE ELECTIONS, JUSTICE MAMBILIMA CALLED ON CHIEFS IN THE COUNTRY TO AVOID BEING PARTISAN LIKE WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING RECENTLY BUT ADHERE TO THE NEW ELECTORAL CODE OF CONDUCT WHICH WAS LAUNCHED RECENTLY BY THE COMMISSION.

JUSTICE  MAMBILIMA FURTHER SAYS THE CHIEFS MUST ALSO HELP THE COMMISSION SENSITIZE THE COMMUNITIES IN THE COUNTRY ON THE NEED FOR THEM TO ABIDE BY THE ELECTORAL CODE OF CONDUCT SO THAT THERE ARE NO MALPRACTICES EXPERIENCED IN THIS YEAR’S ELECTION.

AND SPEAKING AT THE SAME SEMINAR HOUSE OF CHIEF CHAIRPERSON SENIOR CHIEF MADZIMAWE STRESSED THAT CHIEFS MUST ENSURE THAT THEY SENSITIZE THE COMMUNITIES ON VOTING SO THAT THEY TURN OUT IN LARGE NUMBERS ON THE VOTING DAY.

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