UPND RALLY APPLICATION DISMISSED
By Frank Ching’ambu:
The Ndola High Court has dismissed an application by the opposition UPND seeking to quash the decision by the Electoral Commission of Zambia -ECZ- to ban political campaign rallies.
The UPND in its petition filed in the Ndola High Court through its Secretary General, Batuke Imenda asked the court to stay the decision by ECZ to ban campaign rallies, describing it as capricious and without authority of law.
Mr. Imenda also contended that the decision by the ECZ not to prescribe the amount of airtime in any given language on public television, radio and electronic media to all the participating political parties and independent candidates is illegal.
The UPND Chief Executive Officer further argued that the ECZ abrogated its responsibility under television, radio and print media for the benefit of all participating political parties and independent candidates for the forthcoming general election.
When the matter came up today in the Ndola High Court, Judge Mary Mulanda dismissed the petition.
Judge Mulanda, however, granted the party leave to apply for judicial review in respect of its demand that public television, radio and electronic media should allocate equal airtime in any given language to all participating political parties and independent candidates.
She said the decision by the ECZ to ban campaign rallies is in the best interest of the country and the Zambian people.