The Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) has called for reforms in the country’s electoral system to create a system that will give confidence to the people.
FODEP Programmes Manager, Hope Mubanga, observes that the current electoral laws are retrogressive adding that there is need for the country to have a system which will inspire confidence among the people.
She said stakeholders should take advantage of the on-going constitution making process to formulate laws that will see change in the electoral system.
Ms. Mubanga said this in an interview with ZANIS in reaction to calls by the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) and the opposition Movement for Multi Party Democracy (MMD) who have hinted their intentions to petition results of the just ended by elections citing electoral malpractices.
The by-elections which the MMD and the PF wants to petition were necessitated after the seats were nullified by the High Court this year on allegations of electoral malpractices.
But the FODEP official said political parties should look at the interest of the majority Zambians first before they can decide to go ahead and petition the results of the by-elections.
Ms. Mubanga said the people have spoken through another vote and it would be unnecessary for the parties to go and petition the results.
She also urged the parties to observe the electoral laws to ensure that there is no repeat of such incidents.
Ms. Mubanga has, meanwhile, disclosed that FODEP which also monitored the recent by-elections will issue a compressive statement tomorrow on the outcome of the by-elections.
The MMD, which lost to the PF in the Chama North parliamentary by-election, has indicated that it will petition the results while the ruling PF will also petition the Livingstone seat which was scooped by opposition UPND.
ZANIS
Electro reforms haÂ
WHoever lost thez votes shud 4get ‘n look to 2016 not petitioning now, wasting my money??? *****s!!!
its true..let them look at our interests..they shouldn’t be selfish ala!!
My suggestion for the constitution is that the ruling party should not be allowed to use GRZ vehicles, planes, helicopters, bicycles, telephones, fax machines, or anything of that nature for campaign purposes. Or, if they do use those things for campaigning, they should be made to refund the taxpayer for the party’s expenses.Â
LT why??
Waste of tax payers’ money, this petition thing.
Politics of poverty, everyone wants to win at all costs. Even at cost to tax payers.
The circus called Zambian Elections is very amusing. Local and international observers will declare the elections “free and fair”. Two months down the line petitions start and it will be petition after petition throughout the five year term of that parliament. What a joke of a country!!