By ALICE NACHILEMBE
Community Action Against Corruption CAAC says the commercialization of the electoral process by both Ruling party and the Opposition political parties is a source of concerned.
CAAC Chief Executive Director Brightone Tembo said the organization has observed with regret the amount of money required by political parties from their members with interest to contest for various positions in their respective political parties at Party Conventions.
Mr Tembo said the practice has the potential to create a ruling elite in the country and permanently disadvantage the poor people to take up leadership positions in their political parties.
He has urge political parties to treasure democracy not money.
“Just as much as we appreciate political parties need to fundraise, but fundraising through application fees of people who are willing to participate in democracy by taking up leadership positions in their political parties will eventually kill democracy in the country and reduce the poor to political supporters only,” he said.
He said ordinary people who are good leaders can not afford the K 5000, K2500, K 1000 required by some political parties for contesting for various positions in the party at conventions.
Mr Tembo has also urged all political parties to reduce the fees for application and adoption process for any elections to avoid systematically elimination of the poor from participation in democracy and prevent them from providing leadership to the country.
