The Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) says reports that the Ministry of Home Affairs is issuing National Registration Cards (NRC) to former Angolan refugees in Zambezi is a recipe for electoral confrontations ahead of the by-elections in Zambezi West constituency.
FODEP Executive Director McDonald Chipenzi said if true the process has the potential to fuel electoral conflicts hence the need for the Ministry to suspend the issuance of NRCs till after the elections.
Mr. Chipenzi says his organization demands that the Ministry suspends the exercise to avoid electoral conflicts in the constituency adding that the Ministry can restart the process after the elections in the district.
“Reports of issuance of National Registration cards (NRC) in Zambezi District to former Angola Refugees by the Ministry of Homes Affairs, if true, is an exercise likely to cause electoral confrontation ahead of the by-elections in Zambezi West Constituency.
“Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) is greatly concerned and disturbed with such activities especially from a Ministry in charge of internal matter to pursue a provocative path in such a manner when it knows how sensitive elections are.
“FODEP demands that such an exercise be suspended with immediate effect to avoid electoral conflict in the district. The ministry can restart it after the elections on the 11th September, 2014.”
And FODEP has applauded political parties and other stakeholders for maintaining peace during the on going campaigns in the five by-elections.
“Further, FODEP wishes to applaud all political parties and other stakeholders for maintaining peace and order throughout the campaigns in the forthcoming five parliamentary by-elections in Mkushi South, Solwezi Central, Zambezi West, Vubwi and Kasenengwa.
“The prevailing of electoral peace during the campaigns in these constituencies does not mean the absence of political provocation but is as a result of restraint, tolerance and discipline that political parties, their supporters and other players have exhibited towards each other.
It is FODEP’s prayer and hope that as Sept 11, 2014 approaches; the same electoral environment currently prevailing in the five constituencies will continue to dominate the electoral process during and after the vote.”
This is contained in a statement released by FODEP Executive Director McDonald Chipenzi.
This fooli*sh..not only it may cause electoral conflicts but also security instability…these refugees run away from their countrie with guns ,if they don’t get jobs in Zambia they will start terrorizing and robbing Zambians or killing them…you can’t let somebody in our country just like that ..what these people have that will benefit our country? why can’t they go back to Angola? Angola now is one of the biggest Economies in Africa..Our leaders should always think twice before making certain decisions..Explain to zambians why you think its better to give these people NRCs
Desperate situations call for desperate measures…….. Very good solution you are offering Mr. Chipenzi…If it is true let the Ministry suspend the registration exercise until after the election… Do these guys know how many foreigners are dying to lay they hands on our registration cards. When people are caught abroad drug trafikking then you want to claim that other nationals have obtained reg cards corruptly and you forget that they obtained them when you were desperate for a vote as you lost popularity based on your own lies.
Who cares about a reg
I am in Europe wanting a British passport hopefully soon
Not a bloody reg.
Thanks
Mr Chipenzi, your assertion is preposterous, it is like saying all those reaching voting age just before the bye-election shouldn’t get their NRC because they might vote otherwise. New Citizens as such have EARNED their rights to Suffrage like any other citizen – you can’t begin picking & choosing as to when they can exercise their new rights – THAT CLEARLY ISN’T DEMOCRATIC!!
Looking for scapegoats already!
I have NRC, but ECZ denied me Voters card, so I have never ever voted in my own country Zambia. I tried to rig, twice, I couldn’t pass through those primary school teachers monitoring elections.
So I will rather give my card to Angolans.
Pretty,
Good analysis and I must add on that, its the “same” people after many years of residence, they run for the office of president, and win, remember what happened to FTJ Chiluba that he was “Congolese”? Even Sata some say he’s a Mwanchusa, Tanzania.
Therefore, this issue should not surprise many I guess, RB is Zimbabwean then what will stop an Angolan, Botswana, Namibia, Mozambique etcetera, to be president in Zambia?
This confusion, when will it ever end?
This is bad..not only it may cause electoral conflicts but also security instability…these refugees run away from their countrie with guns ,if they don’t get jobs in Zambia they will start terrorizing and robbing Zambians or killing them…you can’t let somebody in our country just like that ..what these people have that will benefit our country? why can’t they go back to Angola? Angola now is one of the biggest Economies in Africa..Our leaders should always think twice before making certain decisions..Explain to zambians why you think its better to give these people NRCs
Hear, Hear send them home! Concur, Angola has a richer economy than Zambia……..unless their gov’t will give us a ton of fuel for each of then, well, Welcome to Zambia!! We can do absurd!
Nothing good can come out of these PF criminals. They did the same in Mangango. Honestly when you look in the faces of these people from their President to the cadre all you see is crookedness, dishonesty and criminality!
this must come to a stop straight away; these people are being used to vote favourably for a green card, ugh disgusting, please have some pride, you win, you win by Zambian voters, if you lose, accept the fact that people have their own choice.
THOSE ANGOLANS ARE NOW ZAMBIAN CITIZENS WITH ELIGIBILITY TO VOTE. THEY WERE JUST MADE ZAMBIANS A WEEK OR SO AGO. NATURALLY, WHAT FOLLOWS OR WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE THERE AND THEN WAS TO ISSUE THEN WITH THE NRC. THERE’S NO RIGGING OF WHAT. THEY DESERVE NRCs.
BY THE WAY STOP CALLING THEM ANGOLAN REFUGEES, BECAUSE THEY CAN SUE YOU FOR THAT IF THEY WANT TO AND THEY HAVE GOT THE RIGHT TO. THEY ARE NOW ZAMBIANS, NOT ANGOLANS. SOME OF YOU GUY CAN’T THINK. ARE SM0KING THE SAME WEED AS YOUR OPPOSITION LEADERS?
I am struggling to see where this guy has stated the status of the so-called former refugees and I cannot see any. Is this speculative (careless) reporting from LT or this f.o.o.l does not want to tell us that these so-called former refugees are actually now citizens who deserve to have Zambian identity documents? Why do you always make statements that are vague enough to insinuate??? Is this what translating verses in different ways has done to Zambians even in professional standing??? I am very sad. If those ex-refugees are Zambians THEY DESERVE NATIONAL IDENTITY CARDS (NRCs). If they are not, report that to the law enforcement arms to deal with it!!!
Mr government let us have a level playing field.If the elections for Kakoma were nullified for donating a community pay phone what we are seeing is the same.
The government has grabbed an Ambulance from Solwezi General Hospital and taken it to Zambezi West during the campaign period.What will Solwezi General Hospital use now and is it normal to deprive same people of the same province.
This is really against the electoral conduct of conduct.
Does it mean after elections the Ambulance will be taken back to Solwezi General Hospital or not?
WE NEED TO TONE DOWN ON SOME OF THESE SUSPICIONS. IT IS RETROGRESSIVE. WHEN PF WINS, ITS RIGGING. BUT WHEN THE OPPOSITION WINS THERE IS NO RIGGING. IS THIS FAIR? THE SOLWEZI YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT WILL ALSO HAVE A BY ELECTION AT THE SAME TIME AS ZAMBEZI. SO YOUR FEARS ARE UNFOUNDED. JUST CAMPAIGN.
PF are thieves and they have a way of conning the people. This is another of their lies even to newly crowned citizens. Come 2016 hell will rain loose. We told you so and you Zambian people decided to vote for change. Deal with them now.
The important thing he says about the reports is:
“IF TRUE”
And if it is not true then why are you speaking and wasting oxygen sir? The other fact to consider is that voter registration is necessary in order to vote. You cannot vote simply with a NRC.
Some of you people commenting here should take time to sometimes reach home and check the actual facts of what is the situation.
The refugees who have qualified to obtain Zambian citizenship they are welcome, but the NRC is the pink one if GRZ still issuing that type of reg. The GRZ should scrutinise well these people not for the sake of a vote.
Are you thinking what am thinking or is it seeing, the man resembles one late … MHSRIP.
THIS IS THE PROBLEM WITH POWER, PLEASE LET PEACE PREVAIL NOT DOING THE THINGS WE WERE FIGHTING AND ACCUSING MMD WITH. WE WANT FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS.
Chipenzi, you so dull and biased. What about the Malawians coming in and out to chipata/petauke getting NRCs and passports. Malawians settle in Zambia at will, the border is porous. If you talking about Angolans first deal with the Malawians. Don’t be a happy id/iot and a hater for people who want to contribute to the development of Zambia. Even the USA has immigrants from all over the world, sober up.