POLITICAL parties yesterday failed to agree on a proposal by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to hike nomination fees.

During a political party liaison committee meeting, Tuesday, the political parties requested for a week in which to present their submissions.

According to a proposal by the commission, a presidential nomination fee will be K150,000 from the current K60,000 while a female presidential candidate and persons with disabilities will pay K120,000.

And a male parliamentary candidate will be required to pay K25,000 from the current K7,500 while women and persons with disabilities will be paying K20,000.

“Presidential candidate (male )current K60,000 – proposed K150,000. Female and PWD candidate current K60,000, proposed K120,000.000. Parliamentary (male) current K7,500 proposal K 25,000.00. Female PWD current K7,500 proposed K20,00,00,” read the proposal.

Meanwhile, a mayoral candidate will be required to pay K25,000 from the current K 7,500.

“Mayoral male candidate current K7,500 proposal K25,000. Female and PWD current K7,500 proposal K20,000. Council chairperson male current K2,500 proposal K10,000. Female and PWD current K2,500 proposal K7,500,” the proposal read.

Meanwhile, councillors would be required to pay K2,500 from the current K750.

“Councilors male (city/municipal) current K750 proposal K 2,500. Female and PWD current K750 proposal K2,000. Male (town/district) current K400, proposal K2,500.
Female and PWD current K400 proposal K2,000,” the proposal read.

But according to sources, the political parties failed to agree on the nomination fees.

“During a meeting presented by the Electoral Commission of Zambia Political parties have failed to agree on the amount for nomination figure and have requested that they meet independently through the Zambia Centre for Interparty Dialogue (ZCID) and other forums and come back with a proposal for the commissions’ consideration. The parties have requested for one week in which to present their submissions,” said some of those who attended the meeting but sought annonymity.