Zambia: The Electoral Commission of Zambia has stopped the Lukanga ward by-election in Kabwe. The elections were stopped after the district court of the region issued an order mandating the same.
The officials have shared that the court has been overseeing the elections of the Lukanga ward.
ECZ Principal Electoral Officer Maata Sikota says the nominations of the elections are valid. Further, the officer said that the court order was not issued at the time the aspiring candidates were filing their nominations.
Sikota was speaking at a meeting which was held to develop the campaign timetable while making the observations. He also spoke to the media regarding the new development and offered significant insight into the future course of actions
He said that the election programme in the future will depend on the outcome of the court ruling.
“The commission has been saved with a court order not to proceed with the nominations and election programme in this ward, but the nominations remain valid because the commission was saved with the court order this morning after the nominations have already been done,” he said.
Sikota said that the commission will abide by the court order and halt all activities related to the Lukanga ward by-election. The elections will comply with the directives of the court, which will help in the correct implementation of the procedure.
The officials have shared that all stakeholders will be made aware of the court decision once the matter is disposed off.
“There are two issues here, there is the matter that brought up the by-election which is the conviction of the councilor, and the matter of the commission’s decision being stayed, so depending on the court outcome, the Councilor may be reinstated or the commission may proceed with the by-election,” he said.
The by-election follows the conviction of councilor Belemu Sibanze for a theft-related offence.
Four candidates successfully filed their nominations for the Lukanga ward by-election.
