On 27 February 2014, the Opposition Alliance was formed to field a common candidate in the
2016 elections. The alliance consisted of the
Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD), the Alliance for Better Zambia,
Zambians for Empowerment and Development, the People's Party, and the All People's Congress Party. However, following the death of President Sata and the calling of early elections, however, MMD Deputy National Secretary Chembe Nyangu expressed doubts about whether the alliance would work given the short time period to agree on a candidate.
Patriotic Front Announced •
Selemani Pangula Banda, Diplomat, former Airforce Captain and former Zambian High Commissioner to Nigeria. •
Chishimba Kambwili, Minister of Sports. •
Christine Kaseba, MD,
gynaecologist,
obstetrician and widow of President
Michael Sata. •
Edgar Lungu, lawyer, Minister of Defence and Justice and former Secretary General of PF. •
Given Lubinda, MP, former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Secretary General of PF. •
Robert Sichinga, Commerce Minister. •
Wylbur Simuusa, Minister of Agriculture
Withdrawn •
Mulenga Sata, son of Michael Sata and Mayor of
Lusaka. Vice-president Scott, who was serving as acting president following Sata's death, announced that he would not contest the elections, claiming he was constitutionally barred from doing so. the Zambian Supreme Court ruled in
Lewanika and Others vs. Chiluba that this is not relevant to citizens born before independence in 1964.
Selection At a General Conference at
Mulungushi Rock of Authority during the weekend of 29–30 November Edgar Lungu was selected as the party president and presidential candidate by default, as none of the other candidates were present. However, as the meeting did not follow procedure and included unauthorised delegates, party president Scott called the elections "null and void" and chaired an alternative General Conference at
Mulungushi University on 1 December, which saw Miles Sampa chosen as the party's presidential candidate with an overwhelming majority. The Lungu faction had previously obtained an injunction from the
High Court against this Conference and denied the legitimacy of Sampa's selection. Three candidates—Kambwili, Simuusa and Lubinda—withdrew from the Conference before the vote, citing distrust of the legitimacy of the delegates present and a wish not to divide the party.
Movement for Multi-Party Democracy •
Rupiah Banda, former President of Zambia. •
Nevers Mumba,
minister and former
televangelist, MMD President. As president of the MMD, Mumba declared himself the party's candidate for the presidency. However, following former President Banda's interest in seeking the presidency, the MMD National Executive Committee, 38 of the 55 members being present, unanimously voted to suspend Mumba from the party presidency and adopt Banda as its presidential candidate. Following this meeting on 18 November 2014, MMD national secretary
Muhabi Lungu stated that Mumba had disregarded party organs, namely the NEC, and committed gross misconduct. Mumba contested this decision, stating that he was the legitimately elected leader of the party and was not elected to keep the seat warm for President Banda's future candidacy. Mumba sought an
injunction against Lungu, seeking to restrain Lungu from interfering with the running of Mumba's office and functions of the party president. On 11 December the Lusaka High Court dismissed an interim injunction granted to Mumba on 25 November, with High Court Judge
Chalwe Mchenga stating that Mumba failed to specify what Lungu should be precluded from doing and that Lungu cannot be held responsible for failing to comply with an unclear injunction. On appeal, the Supreme Court reversed and ruled on 18 December that the official candidate for the MMD was Nevers Mumba. In an opinion read by Supreme Court Justice
Mumba Malila, the Court reasoned that Judge Mchenga erred when ruling and failed to consider evidence submitted to the Court by Mumba that sufficiently showed the parameters of the injunction that the High Court had stated were unclear. A week later, Banda released a statement in which he thanked his supporters, but told them to respect the Supreme Court's decision. Mumba subsequently expelled Muhabi Lungu and vice secretary
Chembe Nyangu from their positions for insubordination.
United Party for National Development The UPND's National Management Committee unanimously agreed to field party leader and prior presidential candidate Hakainde Hichilema on 14 November 2014. Hichilema also received the support of
Charles Milupi and the
Alliance for Democracy and Development on 25 November.
Minor party candidates •
Tilyenji Kaunda (
United National Independence Party), son to the former President
Kenneth Kaunda. •
Godfrey Miyanda (
Heritage Party), retired
major general, former vice-president. •
Edith Nawakwi (
Forum for Democracy and Development), former Energy and Finance Minister. •
Peter Sinkamba (Green Party of Zambia) •
Daniel Pule (Christian Democratic Party), Church Apostle, former Deputy Minister. •
Elias Chipimo Jr (
National Restoration Party), former Corporate Lawyer. •
Ludwig Sondashi (Forum for Democratic Alternatives), former Works and Supply Minister. ==Results==