The government of Zambia and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) today signing a project document amounting to US$11.5 million from five countries, the agency and the European Union (EU) to finance all activities for the forthcoming presidential elections.
The five countries include the Finland, Japan, Norway, Sweden and the United States of America (USA).
Speaking at the signing ceremony of the project document of emergency support for the 2008 presidential election in Lusaka today, Finance and National Planning Minister, Ng’andu Magande said the funding would enable the Electoral Commission f Zambia (ECZ) to timely meet the requirements of all 6,000 polling stations in the country.
He said this would ensure that elections were held in a peaceful and conducive environment.
He noted that conducting the election in a conducive environment would contribute to the ideals and principles of good governance in the country.
“This assistance will go a long way in helping the Electoral Commission of Zambia to fully discharge its mandate and responsibilities,” he said.
Mr. Magande has since assures the UNDP, through which the election funds from cooperating partners are received, that the money would be put to good use.
He said government and other stakeholders have agreed to strengthen national capacities to organize and manage free, fair and transparent elections.
He has also thanked the cooperating partners that have contributed towards the forthcoming election and appealed to those that have not yet met their pledges to do so.
The fund will cover activities in the pre-election and post election period.
The funds received through this project document would be pooled in an elections’ trust fund that is being managed by the UNDP.
Mr. Magande also said the whole K231 billion put aside for the presidential election by government has been released to the ECZ.
He has also estimated the cost of elections before, during and after elections to K300 billion.
And UNPD Resident Representative, Macleod Nyirongo said the support by various cooperating partners for the 2008 presidential elections was a demonstration that the partners were committed to deepening democracy and the rule of law in Zambia.
Dr. Nyirongo said there could not be meaningful human development in a society where people were not freely exercising the right of choosing their own leaders.
He hoped that the partners’ support to the forthcoming presidential elections would further consolidate achievements which Zambia has made in the promotion of the rule of law and democracy.
He also commended the ECZ for being proactive in engaging stakeholders towards addressing emergence issues.
Meanwhile, ECZ chairperson, Justice Florence Mumba thanked the government and the cooperating partners for the funds and promised to work towards satisfying all stakeholders in the forthcoming election.
ZANIS/KSH/ENDS.
As long as none of this money goes to paying RB’s image builders. There is no point in putting new wine in an old wine-skin.
Thanks to the UNDP and other cooperating partners to us Zambians.
UNDP has exhibited what partnership is all about and this is not the first time it is doing or showing good gestures to Zambia. Long live Ban Kinmoon, long live Nyirongo Naba mayoi ba Rosemary Kumwenda has done alot in HIV/AIDS Projects
Magande should also explain whether this is a loan or not. We don’t want when we wake up one day just to be told that we owe UNDP so much….
ITHINK IT IS LOAN TO ZAMBIA, DONARS CAN’NT GIVE FREE MONEY.THANKS TO THE DONARS FOR HELPING MOTHER ZAMBIA.RB DO NOT PLUDDER THIS MONEY FOR YOUR HELICOPITAS AND IMAGE BUILDERS EVEN WHEN GOD CREATED YOU IN HIS IMAGE BUT YOU STILL WANT TO BE CREATED ANEW.YOU NEED TO BE BORN AGAIN BASU!
how many billions of the worthless kwacha is 11 million dollars US… ???
More money 4 shrek,toad face,bashi nenani to pay image buildaz nd hs entourage..kwena we ar livin a painful joke.
We have copper,peace,gold,emeralds, platinum, Uranium, signs of oil and Gas and more and you are telling me the government can not find $11m for elections? Where is all the money that ZRA is collecting on behalf of the government going? to pay for salaries or to pay for lavished life styles?
Magande is now a government worker and no politics. Lets wait for the split of the MMD after RB loses.
This money is purely a good faith contribution towards our nurturing democracy.It is not a loan.We did not ask for it by initiated by our patners in solidarity with Zambians following the loss our dear President Mwanawasa.GRZ has not failed to meet the obligation 100%.If anything that was our plan but friends have offered to share with us the burden.There is nothing wrong in open up for such support.
And ewe Munkoyo,MMD is not like PF the one party.Its a system and its life span is systemic.Individuals could resign as always in a Democracy but MMD will be here.
I would also like to thank the international community for supporting us. I cannot imagine where we would be without this support.
$11 million with just 11 days to go! $1 million per day, what is this for? I would think government has paid for most of the goods and services by now!
And what are they signing for, we are only told of one end of the agreement, what’s the other? Is this a loan or are they still mortgaging the country?
Their comes the truth of who funds eletions not what Rupiah was saying five hundred billion kwacha.Zambian cant see that they are on billions of kwacha bcoz of 44yrs of trial & errors govts i feel pity to this attitude.Our vote shud depict the revelation or end of humiliation.
Sata is an xtra large crook who can never be trusted with the affairs of Zambia, maybe in 2090 if at all he will be there!He lied that he lost a pssport while in UK, what a leader to follow blindly!
Thanks a lot EU now Banda can pay his image builders, who accounts for this money anyway? #13 i agree with you 100%. Lets turn this country around, this election can bring that change!
Country men & women…..
Do you think that imagine that Rupiya Banda formed a new part. Do you think that Mulongoti, teta, VJ, Katele & the team can support him. ???????
RB watch you supporters and leave room for disappointment coz voting is secret…
Country men & women
Did Magande read yesterday’s business Post about African Development Bank’s opinion of how this world crisis is going to affect us…….
lets vote wisely zambians
May peace reign before, during and after elections. This is my prayer for Motherland – Zambia
Keep on working hard Peter. You are the rock which this country will vote for 2011. The world is in financial cisis and if you can manage to secure and put to good use the little that Motherland sweats for and receives from donors, then we got a man with a head on the shoulders and a heart for his people.
WELDONE UNDP UNFORTUNATELY ALL THIS WILL GO IN FAVOUR OF THE MOVEMENT FOR MULT PARTY DAMAGING……..AND ITS CORRUPT GVT………… SHAME
#13 U ARE RIGHT….. CHEAP POLITICKING . HE WILL DO ANYTHING TO CHEAT THE RURAL PIPO BUT NOT THE LEARNED….
Guys, it cracks me to learn of Proud Zambians like # 11. Proud in begging just like your chiefs asking for relief food every day! Alas..Zambia is not poor as you are made to believe the white man and his donations. We need to free most of our people like #11 from the poverty of the mind. Please someone join me we help to decolonise the minds of our people….
VILLAGE CONCEPT #5 that’s brilliant thinking. We must ask the “mukuwa” or donor, what is their interest in all this? what is their benefit? our copper?land?rivers?….Guys, THINK BIG.
better the corrupt than the dictator
ZMK300 billion is roughly around $100million for an election with only 2miilion on the voters roll?? am i missing something here?? pls kindly advise am a novice on election spending.
Lord help us