PAC candidate drops out of presidential race after running mate pulls a ‘no show’

Andyford Mayele Banda

People’s Alliance for Change (PAC) presidential candidate Andyford Mayele Banda has failed to file in his nomination papers for the August 11 general election after his running mate Patrick Bowa deserted him.

Banda, a relative new-comer to Zambian politics, arrived at the Mulungushi International conference Center this morning accompanied by a handful of his supporters but was dealt a crushing blow when he discovered that his running mate was nowhere to be found.

Banda pleaded with ECZ officials to extend the nomination period to Thursday to allow him find a replacement but they could only allow him up to 15:00 hours to find a running mate and file in his papers.

And Banda speaking to journalists outside the nomination centre, Banda could not find an answer as to why Bowa decided to stay away. He suggested that Bowa could have been a victim of intimidation which may have led to his not showing up.

Meanwhile, Green Party presidential candidate Peter Sinkamba and his running mate Clement Tafeni have successfully filed in their nomination papers.