Huge Interest Among Partners to Join the PAB

The elections for the Policy Advisory Board (PAB) raised a lot of concerns on who could stand to be elected and some people thought there was need to review the constitution.

There were two vacant positions in the PAB up for election this year – as PAB members and substitutes.

The MS-Zambia Policy Advisory Board (PAB) constitution, revised in April 2003, says in part that: ‘all partner representatives present at the Annual Meeting are eligible. Representatives from partner organisation, which are in phase out in that particular year, should not stand for elections’.

Part 18 of the same constitution further states that ‘during nomination of the candidates and substitutes for partner members it should be secured that there is an equal distribution of women and men and that the representation reflects the composition in the programme of different types of partners e.g. community groups, national NGOs, church groups and other type of organisations.

Representing a province

Also geographical composition should be taken into consideration’. MS-Zambia operates in three provinces; Eastern, Luapula and Lusaka.

Some people present at the Annual Meeting feared that if elections were conducted according to the constitution there was a danger that persons might represent a province, where they are not present.

Though the programme is for the whole MS-Zambia, it wouldn’t be technically easy for someone from another province to represent another province.

“This is a programme for MS-Zambia but it will be technically not easy if someone from another province is elected,” said Ms. Lis Bjarnesen the out-going Country Co-ordinator.

There were five candidates who stood for elections, two from Eastern Province, two from Lusaka Province and one from Luapula province.

As PAB member, Bridget Khunga, who was not up for election this year, already represented Luapula Province some people argued that no candidates from Luapula Province should stand for elections.

Partners from Eastern and Lusaka provinces argued that they had resolved to pass their candidates unopposed for both PAB and substitute.

Any one eligible could stand

Ms. Lis Bjarnesen stood to clarify the issue by going through the constitution. She said that it was all about advising MS- Zambia in policy-making and anyone eligible could stand.

Mr. Chikoye, the electoral chairperson, also said that people from Luapula province were free to stand even though there were two people (PAB member and substitute) going into their second year from Luapula.

“If people feel strongly to stand, they can go ahead and stand even though there are two people going into their second year,” said Mr. Chikoye.

Before the elections were conducted, two persons pulled out of the race as candidates for the PAB and opted to stand as substitutes. These were Joseph Chitambala and Elias Phiri from Luapula and Lusaka provinces respectively. The losing candidates for PAB was also given chance to stand as a substitute.

In his campaign for PAB membership, Mr. Donald Sakala from Eastern Province, promised to change the constitution so that all issues would be properly clarified to avoid waste of time and misunderstandings when elections were held. “If voted, I will change the constitution so that we don’t waste time when voting,” said Mr. Sakala.

Mr. Elais Siame, a partner representative from Luapula province, said that the elections were all right but that the constitution needed to be well explained more especially when there was a tally. “Elections were okay even if the constitution is not well explained, especially when there is a tally,” said Mr. Siame.
Another partner representative Mrs. Lucio Chiyama from Kazipalile Co-operative said that the elections were good this year because people voted unlike last year when people did not vote.

“Elections were good. We voted this year but last year we didn’t vote,” said Mrs. Chinyama.