27 September 2008
Heritage Party (HP) president, Godfrey Miyanda, yesterday struggled to mobilise 200 supporters for his filing in of nomination papers for the October 30 presidential elections.
Brigadier-General Miyanda who was expected to file his nomination at 14:00 hours could not be seen at the Supreme Court although a handful of his supporters clad in yellow attire were in the Supreme Court grounds.
Around 15:00 hours Gen Miyanda was spotted entering the Lusaka High Court and later spent most of the time talking on a cellular phone.
Asked as to why he was not filing in his nomination papers, he said that some of his supporters had gone to the Supreme Court without voters' cards and that they had gone back to collect them and did not know their whereabouts at the time.
"I have a little hitch. My people came without documents and they have gone back to collect them but no one has a phone in the bus," he said.
At around 16:00 hours Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) spokesperson, Chris Akufuna, phoned to find out if Gen Miyanda was filing in his nomination papers to which he said that he was already in the court premises but was just waiting for his supporters.
He said that he could not be disqualified because he had been within the court premises from 13:00 hours and the Constitution was silent on a candidate who was waiting for his supporters as long as he had reached the court.
Patriotic Front leader, Michael Sata and his general secretary, Edward Mumbi complained to ECZ deputy director for elections, Priscilla Isaac, that it was not fair that the closing time for filing in of nomination papers was extended for Gen Miyanda.
After 16:00 hours ECZ officials started screening Gen Miyanda's supporters but still they could not reach 200 and some PF cadres took advantage of the situation and went in to register.
Still the number was not enough and some HP cadres started coming in taxis until 17:30 hours when they reached 200. Gen Miyanda filed in his papers at 17:40 hours.
After filing in his nomination papers, Gen Miyanda told journalists that the fact that he waited for long to file his nomination meant that he had to work extra hard.
In his declaration of assets Gen Miyanda said that he had a small-holding of 10 acre land and a four bedroomed house valued at K900,000 million and that he was not aware of any liabilities.
And at 18:30 Chief Justice Ernest Sakala declared acting president Rupiah Banda for the MMD, Hakainde Hichilema for the UPND, Gen Miyanda for the HP and Michael Sata for the PF as having been validly nominated as candidates for the presidential elections.
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