Friday, March 29, 2024

ZCID appeals to politicians to give Electoral Commission of Zambia space

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ECZ Chairperson Justice Ireen Mambilima and Electoral Commission of Zambia Director Priscila Isaacs sharing a light moment with political representatives and other stakeholders, at UNIPRINT in Durban
ECZ Chairperson Justice Ireen Mambilima and Electoral Commission of Zambia Director Priscila Isaacs

The Zambia Center for Interparty Dialogue (ZCID) has appealed to political parties that participated in the Tuesday presidential election to give the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) enough time to do its work.

And ZCID has condemned the storming of ECZ’s presidential totalling centre situated at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre by suspected opposition UPND and ruling PF cadres.

ZCID Executive Director Horrance Chilando said the Commission was mandated by law to conduct a credible poll without undue pressure, external force and influence

Mr. Chilando, who is also chairperson of the National Voter Education Committee of the Commission, was speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka today.

He said storming of the totaling centre by aggrieved party members creates unnecessary tension.

He noted that official results could only be obtained from the Commission and no any other institution was mandated to provide results.

And when asked what role the center played in dialoguing on political matters, Mr. Chilando said the institution faced numerous challenges which included inadequate funding.

He said it was difficult for the center to organize a round table meeting for the political parties to reach a consensus on certain issues.

Mr. Chilando, an experienced elections consultant and trainer, urged the ruling party and opposition political parties in the country to work on a common goal of promoting peace and unity

Meanwhile, Mr. Chilando said political parties in Zambia need lessons on party development and party system.

He said doing so will prepare party members to manage conflicts and leadership transitions when need arises in their parties.

He observed that political parties in the country were weak institutions who do not have enough resources to conduct mature campaigns hence desperation overcomes some politicians.

25 COMMENTS

    • UPND has just become too much with running to the Mulungushi centre. If UPND is satisfied that the vote counting is being rigged, they should use the channels provided and not running to intimidate official who are working hard in difficult and emotional circumstances.
      But it appears when the ECZ announce favourable results for UPND, then they are doing a good job (and all is fair and genuine). When counts start going PF way, then ECZ is colluding with PF in rigging the vote count.
      These behaviours are hallmarks of one who is under no doubt that they are headed for a loss but “preparing” to cry foul play.
      Lungu is winning my confidence as he has stayed away from the centre to allow the counting to go on without undue pressure.

    • As it stands –

      NEWS FROM MULUNGUSHI;

      PF – 701,089 – 48.72%

      UPND – 674,185 – 46.86%

      121 Constituencies

      Viva EL Viva PF….Peace

    • PF SAYS RESULTS ARE CREDIBLE, PF IS THE REAL DEAL

      Mr. Chama said. “We also have similar complaints.

      ZNBC broadcast lower figures that what was announced by the Commission.

      We raised the anomalies that resulted in the announcement of lower figures in the following
      constituencies: Chawama, Chipata Central, Chipili
      and Chililabombwe,” he said. Mr. Chama said the party won Chipata Central by more than 10,000 but ZNBC reported 4000 and for Chililabombwe they said UPND won yet the PF won.

      Peace…

  1. The people who threated to attack ED are right because he has betrayed us and is being used by PF to rig elections. We have relied upon TIZ PVT all along and boom last minute, they fidget with numbers to make PF winner. Actually what they are trying to do is not clever at all. The rigging that was being done in the past was clever because they would stuff in extra ballot papers that would be counted along with the real ones. This time because the UPND anti-rigging team was vigilant and sealed off all obvious rigging loopholes, the PF had no option but to just use a st&pid way of manipulating numbers directly forgetting that UPND and others had their own PVT which should have agreed with the ECZ results. You can’t do that. I hope the culprits are going to be pursued by the law for…

  2. Concerns raised by the United Party for National Development (UPND) over what it has described as contradictory results published by the Electoral Commission of Zambia on their website and ZNBC have delayed the announcement of results from remaining constituencies.

  3. In the end once adjustments are made, upnd will discover that they have in fact lost by far more votes!!
    Let things be as they are.

  4. MMD STOLE VOTES FROM MAZOKA,THIS TIME AROUND AWE MPAKA FYE ICHISHINKA CHISOKOLOKE!
    IF ECZ WITH THEIR ROBBERS pf INSISTS THEN SOUTHERN PROVINCE WILL JOIN BAROTSELAND FOR SUCESSION.WE ARE SICK AND TIRED OF DISREGARD OF LAW AND ORDER WITH IMPUNITY BY pf

    • Do you know what you are aspiring for my dear friend?

      Is this desperation that make you spill these destructive sentiments here?

      Hold your fire!

      The two boys might shame your fears and to work together.

  5. Now you know what to do bo Chilando.

    Can you please start these inter-party dialogues now if sensibility is to be acquired by 2016 Election time.

    Start with the Party Presidents to the grassroots.

    Cadre mentality irks me!

  6. @wajimona
    I dont think this kind of thinking is the way to go as a country..stealing and manipulation of figures is criminal..and whoever is involved shud be punished severely by the law.

  7. dont post hate and bitterness on this site, hating will not do you any good.its clear, Zambians have decided they do not want a tribal party , UPND is tribal, thats a fact. mind you, this is the last tym UPND is being popular it will be like what happened in 2001 after MAzoka lost narr0wly to MMD . UPND is a good party with execellent policies but the people surrounding HH are worrisome, can you imagine 80% of his supporters are Tongas why should it be so? attend HH’s rallies you will agree with me on this one. you can only vote for UPND if u have never stayed with Tongas ,people that have stayed with Tongas know wat am talking about. I hate tribalism with passion thats y i cant allow HH to govern this great nation.

  8. If anything its in Southern and western Provinces where there was 100% voter turn out that you expect rigging.

    Numbers coming from this province are ringing a very strong bell of possible rigging.

    If not its stinking tribalism

  9. To too ,much noise baiche upnd shall never win unelection & u r lucky pipo didnt voted in pf strongholds otherwise by now u cud have been silence now tiye nayo edger

  10. The new constitution should not encourage people to marry their own tribe in Zambia in an effort to end tribalism.

    I have got a suggestion. How about free education for up to four children born in an intermarried family.

    Australia does it. There are incentives for marrying an aboriginal family.

    I know Bembas are naturally not beautiful but I guess we can strike a compromise somewhere.

    Because at the rate we are going, I see ethnic trouble very soon. Whoever wins, the voting patterns suggest total intertribal mistrust.

    The only province that has passed this test is Eastern.

  11. Even one vote makes a difference u can fail an exam with just one mark. Ifintu ni lungu we can not put angels that fall from the top in charge of the country.

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