The Electoral Commission of Zambia postpones the nominations for Mulobezi, Malambo and Petauke Central constituencies.

The Electoral Commission of Zambia ECZ has for the second time postponed the nominations for Mulobezi, Malambo and Petauke Central constituencies indefinitely.
ECZ Acting Public Relations Manager, Sylvia Bwalya confirmed the development in a statement to Breeze News.
Ms. Bwalya says that the postponement is due to an order from the High Court that the filing of nomination papers should be postponed.
She says that the high court has granted barred aspiring candidates for Petauke Central Dora Siliya, Maxwell Mwale for Malambo and Hastings Sililo for Mulobezi leave to apply for judicial review.
On August 9, the ECZ stopped the three candidates from filing in their nomination papers following a directive by the judiciary to bar candidates whose seats were nullified on grounds of corruption from contesting in any election for five years.
Meanwhile the MMD, Movement for Multi-Party Democracy and UNIP, United National Independence Party have expressed happiness with the decision to have the nominations postponed until the court injunction is settled.
However, MMD Provincial Chairperson, Alexander Miti and UNIP Provincial Chairperson, Donald Sakala expressed concern with the resources wasted as a result of the postponements.
Mr. Miti accused the PF of trying to stifle the judiciary out of fear of losing the by-elections and that interpretation of the law was being targeted on individuals.
And Mr. sakala indicated that the three barred candidates were free to exercise their democratic rights and that it was now up to the courts to settle the matter.
And United Party for National Development UPND, has commended the court for granting the three candidates judicial leave to apply for judicial review.
UPND Deputy National Chairperson for Youth and Sports Development, Michael Chuzu says that the court’s decision should send a message to PF, the Patriotic Front Party that it is not possible to overrule the courts.
And National Restoration Party, NAREP, has alleged that the postponement of the filing in of nominations in the three constituencies is being caused by the infighting within the government and within the system that the government has set up.
NAREP National Secretariat Bishop Jevan Kamanga also says that the PF government does not have credible candidates and have resorted to disturbing the electoral process.
Bishop Kamanga described the second postponement of filing in of nominations in the three constituencies as confusing.
Meanwhile PF candidate in the Petauke Central parliamentary by-election Lenard Banda has welcomed the decision by the courts, stating that other candidates were exercising their rights.
Mr. Banda however, expressed concern that the process was eating into the campaign period stating that people should understand that elections need to be held within 90 days after nullifying the seats.