By Patson Chilemba
The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has argued that there is no constitutional basis placed on the commission to release the declared assets for presidential candidates in the August 2021 general elections.
Responding to a press query in which Daily Revelation demanded to know the declared assets of President Hakainde Hichilema, former president Edgar Lungu, Democratic Party (DP) leader Harry Kalaba, Socialist Party (SP) leader Fred M’membe, PNU leader Highvie Hamududu and the other 10 presidential candidates, the ECZ argued that there was no basis to make the declaration of those assets to the public.
“Mr Patson Chilemba Daily Revelation Media…Kindly take note that Presidential candidates declare assets and liabilities pursuant to Article 100 (i)(h) of the Constitution and there is no requirement placed on the Commission to publicly disclose same. You may wish to know that Article 34 (5) (b) of the 1996 Constitution which has been repealed provided as follows,” ECZ corporate affairs manager Patricia Luhanga argued. “(5) A Presidential candidate shall not be entitled to take place in an election unless – (a) He has paid such election fee as may be prescribed by or under an Act of Parliament on or before the date fixed by the Electoral Commission in that behalf; (b) He makes a statutory declaration, of his assets and liabilities, which shall be open to public inspection at such time and at such place as may be prescribed by or under an Act of Parliament. [bold for emphasis].”
Luhanga stated that following the repeal of the aforesaid provision, it was not replaced by a similar requirement.
“…and in the premises the Commission has no basis to proceed as requested by your media house,” responded Luhanga.
In the query, Daily Revelation had stated that it was vital for the public to know in keeping with tradition and transparency, so that the nation could know how much their leaders were worth now, in order to better know how much they will have accumulated in subsequent elections, and particularly for those in office, to know how much they will have accumulated during their course of office.
Daily Revelation further observed that it was important for the commision to reaffirm its independent standing against assertions that the information had not been availed to the public because certain presidential candidates did not want the ECZ to make the same known.
“As you may have noticed, several stakeholders have been commenting on this matter, but I have taken the responsibility to write directly to you so that we can hear from our own public Commission, as should always be the case,” read the letter in part.
In picture: Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) corporate affairs manager Patricia Luhanga
