FORUM for Leadership Search executive director Edwin Lifwekelo has written to the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to stop Caritas-Zambia from monitoring this year’s elections on account of its alleged allegiance to the Patriotic Front (PF).

Mr Lifwekelo said he was on record as having been barred from conducting voter education on behalf of ECZ in 2006 following a letter authored by Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) president Edith Nawakwi.

He said in a statement yesterday that Ms Nawakwi accused him of siding with the ruling MMD and wrote a letter to ECZ to have him withdrawn from those who were supposed to conduct voter education.

Mr Lifwekelo said on the basis of that allegation, he was immediately withdrawn from conducting voter education on the Copperbelt.

He urged ECZ director Priscilla Isaac to use that as a precedent, especially that records were there to prove his claim.

When contacted, Ms Isaac said she had not yet seen the letter as she was attending a meeting.

Mr Lifwekelo said in a letter dated June 17, 2011 that the credibility of Caritas Zambia to monitor elections either indirectly or directly was “mutilated beyond repair” and that its leadership should take responsibility and resign immediately.

Mr Lifwekelo said ECZ should in public interest exclude Caritas Zambia from monitoring this year’s elections in order to instill confidence in the process.

He said a story carried in the Zambia Daily Mail of October 15, 2010 under the headline ‘Caritas poll ploy exposed’, where it was alleged that Caritas Zambia, a Catholic organisation and some foreign donor agencies were allegedly scheming to announce and declare PF leader Michael Sata winner of the 2011 elections proved that such deals had the potential to undermine the electoral process.

It is further alleged that Caritas Zambia, in conjunction with other civil society organisations (CSOs), would undertake clandestine activities under the guise of a coalition of CSOs.

And the Committee of Citizens has urged the MMD, United Party for National Development (UPND) and other political parties to reject the planned monitoring of elections by Caritas Zambia because it had been hired to campaign for Mr Sata and his party.

The organisation also observed that election monitors should at all times strive to conduct their election activities in an impartial manner to avoid suspicion.

Executive director Gregory Chifire in a statement yesterday challenged ECZ to scrutinise the activities of Caritas Zambia to ascertain the suitability of the organisation to be accredited for the purpose of monitoring elections this year.
[ Times of Zambia ]

14 COMMENTS

Chitawala June 21, 2011 At 8:53 am

Mr. Lifwekelo you were accused as an individual. the way you are coming out on caritas zambia proves more that you bloody mmd bootlicker. caritas zambia acknowledges the good works of the gvt and criticises them for their failures and injustices. that does not mean they are against the gvt. criticim calls for improvement thats all. caritas is not like, you r a full time cadre
opness June 21, 2011 At 8:58 am

mr lifwekelo is the new mmd spokeperson,
opness June 21, 2011 At 9:00 am

caritas-zambia is not an individual if mr fifwekelo die today your NGO will die with you so know what you are talking about in some members of caritas-zambia are mmd that you should know.
splaka June 21, 2011 At 9:03 am

Does this guy even understand what ‘clandestine’ means? Caritas and the other NGOs have stated what they will do in the elections (pvt). And pointing to Times of Zambia or DM hardly lends credence to his case.
Common man June 21, 2011 At 9:11 am

You Zambians i beg you again can someone tell me who this big mouth-for-nothing Cifire is.He makes alot of noise and is being tolerated why?????????????????
Div nafuti June 21, 2011 At 9:14 am

This ***** sucks!!! I hope when he dies we wont hear that he was a great leader too bla bla blah!
Tm June 21, 2011 At 9:39 am

U cant stop de church carryin on its mandate cos ur mmd. It Pvt ur sacred of. Caritas is world wide get it or live. Its part of social dept of de Holly Catholic Church. Ur ar 4given, cos it our duty 2do so.
moondama June 21, 2011 At 10:10 am

ECZ is dodgy as well, just like Chefire and Lifwengo. These entities are not for a better Zambia.
Musangu vge June 21, 2011 At 12:45 pm

Caritas is pf u vipers
Don Lee June 21, 2011 At 12:48 pm

Lifwekelo have a life….
KABATUSHE June 21, 2011 At 3:28 pm

LIFWEKELO, THE MMD CHIEF BOOTLICKER, WHY ARE YOU JITTERY ABOUT A CREDIBLE ORGANISATION LIKE CARITAS MONITORING THIS ELECTION?……..CARITAS WILL NOT IN ANY WAY INVOLVED IN CONDUCTING THE ELECTIONS SO WHY THE HUSSLE?……..SORRY, MWEMFUMU, CARITAS IS NOT LIKE YOUR FAKE ORGANISATION WHICH WILL DISBAND IMMEDIATELY AFTER ELECTIONS……THIS IS A SERIOUS ORGANISATION WITH ITS OWN PLANS AND PROGRAMMES TO EXECUTE……SO FORGET ABOUT RIGGING BWANA, JUST SELL YOUR LIMPING PARTY TO THE ELECTORATE………THIS TIME TA MWA RIGGIN’GE…….ALL ZAMBIANS WILL MONITOR THIS ELECTIONS……..PVT IS IN MOTION, CHIEF RIGGER IS OUT OF THE TH SYSTEM & YOUR CONSULTANT WILL BE BURIED ON 27TH JUNE…..NI BYE BYE POLIO!!!
Donkey June 21, 2011 At 4:27 pm

This ass licking motha f**cker never ceases to amaze me with his childish reasoning
Donkey June 21, 2011 At 4:29 pm

This a.ss licking motha f**cker never ceases to amaze me with his childish reasoning
A.m. July 10, 2011 At 8:19 pm

Mr Lifwekelu,we are tired of u,mmd bootlicker.u ar as smal as a bird en Caritas as big as an elephant.u cant manage to shake it.try something else…