Friday, March 29, 2024

Justice Mambilima calls on PF govt to decentralize the Commission

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ECZ Chairperson Ireen Mambilima

Electoral Commission of Zambia Chairperson Justice Irene Mambilima has called on the Patriotic Front Government to decentralize the operations of the Commission.

Justice Mambilima says there is need to decentralize the Commission to district level by employing full-time officers to avoid some of the challenges faced during the just ended tripartite elections.

She says having people at district level employed by the ECZ on a full-time basis would enhance the efficiency of the Commission in conducting elections.

Justice Mambilima has also called on the new government to ensure that the Commission is funded to ensure that it carries out the continuous voter registration exercise in accordance with the law which was enacted about 10 years ago.

And Justice Mambilima has denied threatening to resign as ECZ Chairperson for being pressurized by some MMD officials during the announcement of election results.

She says at no time did she threaten to resign.

[QFM]

36 COMMENTS

  1. May be this woman means good after all. Great idea but not pratical in Africa. I am PF but it would be even impossible to oust the ruling party if we go down that route. Africans are just another erm erm erm!

  2. Not only decentralization, demand and call for true independence of the ECZ from the EXECUTIVE control, we cant afford to continue with this status call of rigging and fighting with the incubent presidents. Sata had a hard time to secure the presidence even when people had already given him the mandate.
    Also… MMD leaders should NOT ditch their party to join PF. PF should not allow such nonsense and hypocrites. These two parties have different ideologies and beliefs. To those planning to ditch MMD,should we say you don’t believe in the MMD ideologies or you are just a batch of shameless political prostitutes? Is the ruling party (the PF) Naive enough to ACCEPT such destructive wolves and hyenas who have destroyed MMD to come and destroy PF? We want change, change that we can believe in

  3. We PF will make changes to suit our stay in power.No decentralising and no Polictal party agents on polling stations. We ve learnt alot from MMD. Will cling to power like Mugabe.VIVA SATA wa muyayaya!

    • # 3 naimwe mukaponoka pofye. You politicians are all the same after all. Zambia has moved foward. Even Sata can lose the next elections if he becomes useless. It was KK, FTJ and now RBish. Sata should be careful!

  4. # 1 it is practical in Africa. South Africa has one of the most independent Electoral Commission where the registration of voters in an on-going process. It’s your kind of mentality that makes other to look down on Africa. Why wouldn’t this be practical in Zambia or anywhere else on the continent?

  5. Let us resist singing bad praise songs to our President, let us stand in the gap and interceed for him against negative influence. Let us not subject him to uncalled-for pressure, remember we have declared this nation a Christian Nation.

    This time round our constitution submissions and all our practices should be centred on the Holy Bible teachings. I challenge all men of God to standup and be counted for God in positioning this nation for Him to Bless and Heal. Start drafting you submissions using the Bible.

    President Sata, do not depart from the TEN COMMANDMENTS.

  6. Wisdom is more difficult to define but represents the ability to learn from experience and adapt to changing conditions. Thanks Justice Mambilima you can spot trends, identify potential problems and it’s up to us all loving Zambians to develop a constitution that will stand the test of time and one that provides leverage to analyse data and leaving all the powers in the presidency.

  7. Before that could be done I suggest ECZ be cleaned up first. Get rid of those old finished commissioners and some other corrupt individuals. Then you can decentralize it, lest you smear the dirt and corruption ECZ currently has on other districts. Can’t wait for the new cabinet and defence force chiefs.

  8. That is a good suggestion but is not a priority right now. Just tell us why you delayed to announce the results and who pressured you even if you did not threaten to resign. We want to get to the root of the problem and fix it for our posterity’s sake. No rigged election will EVER be accepted by zambian democracy.

  9. # 7 True, this can be part of Home affairs. All we need is to change our current Registrations for a much advanced card, with RFID chip that can be indorsed as ID, License and Voters card. Registration should be an ongoing process to avoid challenges and be prepared for any election. At any time.

    People should also carry IDs at all times, It should be a rule in Zambia.

  10. #11 I mean there is more to Mambilima’s statement, We need an overall of the constitution. The current one gives too much powers to the office of the president. The office of the president should surbordinate to the rule of the land and we will be a happy and rich nation.

  11. What do you mean that we can’t compare Zambia to South Africa? Are South Africans not as human as Zambians? Is not South Africa in Africa? Hasn’t Zambia been independent longer than South Africa (real independence for all)?

    You must be so inferior in your mind, that you look to South Africa like to a god! What if someone compared Zambia to India or England?

  12. #7 Unless we change this mentality; we are equallly good like any other developed society. Hardwork pays and you can only earn what you worked for.

  13. @#17. Gundix. We coludn`t print ballot papers in Zambia for starters. We have no capacity despite being independent for 47 years. You are only showing me how arrogant you are ormay be you are just thick.

    Ok we are at par with SA! Will that make you happy?

  14. This is long over-due. You cannot continue relying on councils who have no long interest let alone anything to lose if ECZ’s reputation was marred. The council oficers’ interest is money above everything else

  15. Justice Mambilima has denied ever threatening to resign at the conclusion of the vote count, sounds like she has just chickened out to save the necks of those MMD officials who pressurised her not to announce the results. Fair enough the lady did extremely well under the circumstances.

  16. In the UK, there is a central body that trains, advises and coordinates elections which are carried out by local councils. The voter registration is annoyingly continuous but has been simplified to be done online, by post or a person comes and knocks on your door. You can also chose to vote by post or in person, but not online yet. I understand that in the US, it is the state that runs the elections, hence Jed Bush in Florida favouring his big bro. I am not sure whether decentralisation in Zambia would eliminate corruption. What I suggest is that registering to vote should be law like in UK and voting should be compulsory like in Australia.

  17. She wants more money in her popcket bane.She is trying eat with three hands,at the court,at ECZ HQ and District level

  18. To be honest, Mambilima was at ECZ at one time, then for the second time. why did she not bring those ideas soon after being brought back?? one would like to believe that she is saving her face. any way there is saying that “abakulu bawila kuchimuti”. Let Anna Chifungula carry out Audit to ECZ, and other institutions. I propose, a 50 day period be given to anyone who seemingly think may have acquired wealth illegally to come forward and bring back, just like Mwanawasa did to Chiluba but FTJ stubbonly refused then the Law followed him. similary lets call for those who wish to surrender the wealth come forward before they are probbed, starting with Musokotwane, Governor BOZ, and all ministers not forgetting FRA directors etc.

  19. # 8 You are mentally defeated. We dont need such people alive. Especially in Zambia.

    Good idea you old woman Mambilima. Employ the youth who are active and uneployed. No relative connections.

  20. Seems a lot of PF cadres are resisting making changes to the rotten and dysfunctional institutions they have ‘inherited’. One wonders what they voted for. Was it just the change in the composition of the looting personnel or it was the desire to make fundamental and transparent reforms in the way Zambia is governed? That is Zambia for you: The more things change the more they remain the same! This is not change we can believe in!

  21. This is a progressive idea that should be debated by houses such as parliament and other stake holders. Please PF do not surprise us by making impromptu decisions and announcing them at hastily arranged press conferences.    

  22. You chaps from so called diaspo dont need to be given chance to vote coz your reasoning is not that good,just from the way you put your arguments aaaisshh….very disappointing

  23. Excellent points altogether, you just won a new reader. What could you suggest about your put up that you just made a few days ago? Any sure?

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