STATEMENT ISSUED BY MR. GERMANO MUTALE KAULUNGOMBE, CHAIRMAN OF THE PF ELECTORAL COMMISSION AND RETURNING OFFICER FOR THE GENERAL CONFERENCE HELD ON 1ST DECEMBER 2014, AT MULUNGUSHI INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE WEDNESDAY 3rd December 2014 I wish to make this statement as Chairperson of the 6-member PF Electoral Commission for the General Conference held on 1st December 2014. The party’s Electoral Commission is established under Article 64 of the PF Constitution. As a Returning Officer my duty was to conduct an orderly and supervised party election. The Commission was also mandated to set up its own rules, regulations and procedure in order to conduct an orderly Election. We set rules regarding the acceptance of nominations from aspiring candidates, validation of such nominations and subjecting the candidates to an election. It is for this reason that I wish to state the following: 1. During the General Conference we became aware as a Commission around 15hrs, that the Lusaka High Court had issued an Order against the Convening the General Conference. 2. The proceedings of the General Conference were televised live to the nation. 3. I was alarmed as a lawyer, that the person tasked by the courts with serving such an Order was harassed and assaulted. 4. The minimum Electoral College required for the PF General Conference is 3700. In this case the barest minimum for such an election or business at a General Conference should be 1856 delegates. But only 1127delegates were registered and voted instead of the minimum 1856 delegates. 5. Because of these concerns, we brought to attention of the leadership of the PF regarding the Court Injunction and matters regarding the quorum. 6. Despite the court order, voting and counting was done. 7. I however refused to declare Mr. Miles Sampa as winner as I was in receipt of the court order, which stopped the entire conference from convening. 8. Although people were allowed to vote I refused to declare the winner because an Order from the Lusaka High Court and the above concerns. Therefore I wish to emphasize that I did not declare Mr. Sampa as a duly elected President of the PF. 9. So therefore, I advise strongly as a Returning Officer, that Hon. Miles Sampa was not declared as PF President and should not hold himself as such. 10. I further wish to appeal to Mr. Miles Sampa to restrain himself and not refer to himself to a position he doesn’t hold. Mr. Sampa is not the PF President. 11. Our further caution to the media is NOT to refer to Mr. Sampa as PF president as this is contempt in the face of the Lusaka High Court that issued an injunction against the holding of that General Conference Thank you. GERMANO MUTALE KAULONGOMBE RETURNING OFFICER GENERAL CONFERENCE HELD ON 1ST DECEMBER 2014
Posted on: Wed, 03 Dec 2014 11:46:15 +0000
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