PF petitions another MMD seat

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MMD cadres sing outside DEC offices_Lusakavoice.com

THE Patriotic Front has petitioned the election of MMD Chipata member of Parliament, Mtolo Phiri, on grounds that he was not eligible to contest the by-election and the ruling party wants the court to declare Lameck Mangani as the winner.
According to an election petition filed in the High Court by PF losing candidate Mr Mangani, the PF has also petitioned the Electoral Commission of Zambia as second respondents.
Mr Mangani wants the court to declare him winner of the election, having polled the second highest votes and having proved the illegal and corrupt practices involving Mr Phiri.
Mr Mangani said the ECZ should not have accepted Mr Phiri’s nomination as a candidate “because he filed a false statutory declaration by suppressing information that the High Court found him guilty of corrupt and illegal electoral practices”.
He said since Mr Phiri’s election was nullified on grounds that he engaged in illegal and corrupt practices, he did not qualify for election as Member of the National Assembly.
Mr Mangani further said the ECZ should not have accepted the nomination and declaration of Mr Phiri’s election because the commission knew that there was a breach of the law.
He said the ECZ is usually proactive on electoral misconduct and that it does not wait for anyone to make any such reports.
Mr Mangani wants the court to declare that Mr Phiri was not duly nominated and elected and his election should be “null and void”.
He alsowants the court to declare that the ECZ failed or neglected to perform its statutory duties when it accepted Mr Phiri’s nomination when it had notice of the illegal and corrupt practices which the MMD candidate had engaged in.
“I can confirm that my counsel, Ellis and Company, have filed papers seeking the immediate nullification of this seat,” Mr Mangani, who is former Home Affairs minister, said in an interview yesterday.
“For me the facts are simple…his [Mtolo’s] election was nullified based on evidence of massive corruption. If there are any other issues surrounding the law, I want that to be left to the interpretation of the courts of law. I also contend that he should not have stood for the election at all following the pronouncement of the court”
Mr Mangani said his major concern is that if ‘corrupt’ candidates continue to be fielded in crucial polls, they effectively undermine the “very democracy” and “justice” Zambia is known for and respected for in the region.

1 COMMENT

  1. It's astonishingly becoming soo painful to be a Zambian when confusion isn't exactly your thing.

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