THE Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) has called upon Government and Zambia’s Co-operating Partners to help provide adequate funding to the Electoral Commission of Zambia in order to enable the Commission discharge it’s mandate of conducting the 2016 general elections with utmost integrity and transparency.
We are saddened to note that the elections body is financially limping, just a few months before Zambia goes to the polls and we wish to emphasise that ECZ can only conduct free and fair elections if it is empowered to do so. This calls for Government and the Commission to identify urgent areas where the limited resources can be applied to maximum effect.
However, YALI notes that the Commission can also undertake certain actions to reduce its expenditure, such as a reduction in the hire of expensive 4 X 4 motor vehicles from private individuals or car hire companies at exorbitant prices, and move toward efficient and cost conscious hiring of transportation services. It is our view that this practice has become a method for unscrupulous business people, civil servants and some government officials who own 4 x 4s to make money from ECZ during elections.
In urging a reduction in ECZ expenditure, YALI would also like to put in on record, that we fully recognise that it is very costly to run a free and fair elections, and it is for that reason that we support the Commission’s upwards adjustment of nomination fees for persons wishing to contest elections at different levels.
We believe the Commission Chairperson, Judge Esau Chulu, adequately explained the reasons that necessitated the increase in nomination fees. However, YALI urges the Commission to practice greater stakeholder engagement in arriving at such important decisions.
We would urge our fellow citizens who may not agree with this increase in nomination fees, to give consideration to the the enormous cost of holding these elections. Secondly, it must be borne in mind that all candidates voluntarily choose to stand in these elections, after which, if they are successful, receive many benefits as Members of Parliament including a salary and hefty gratuity.
Under the recent Constitutional amendments, it must be noted that even those elected as councillors, will receive financial benefits paid from taxpayers money through the Consolidated Fund.
YALI believes, therefore, that It is only fair that these fees are hiked for those wanting to contest these and elections.
Meanwhile, YALI will engage with the Commission on pending issues regarding qualifications of Mayors and Council Chairperson including the election of councillors as we still feel there is need to carefully re-look at provisions of the law and the spirit with which the amended Constitution was framed to arrive at modalities on how local government elections will be conducted.
We will further engage with the Commission on the Presidential Running mate to avoid a situation where, if the Presidential Running Mate, appears on the ballot paper alongside the Presidential candidate, some voters may be confused as at how to proceed, which may then result in spoiled or rejected ballots which may, in turn, lead to controversy in interpreting the outcome.
We are confident that the ECZ, in executing its onerous duties, will be willing to listen to all its partners in order to deliver a free and fair election, a task which the Electoral Commission of Zambia has always accomplished with honour and distinction.
Isaac Mwanza
Governance Advisor
Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI)
YALI, making a difference while LAZ goes to sleep!
YALI ,WE agree!! YOUR SOUND GUIDANCE AND RELEVANCE IN ZAMBIA’S GOVERNANCE TRAJECTORY IS SOUND AND DEEPLY APPRECIATED. YALI HAS PROVED ITS CAPABILITIES IN THE ZAMBIA GOVERNANCE MUCH MORE THAN LAZ ,GRAND COALITION AND ALL CSO COMBINED!
If I was the funding agency for LAZ , COULD HAVE SCRAPPED AND WITHDRAWN MY FUNDING TO THIS USELESS INSTITUTION. LAZ UNDER CHISENGA HAS PROVED IRRELEVANT TO ZAMBIA’S LEGAL AND GOVERNANCE ADVISORY ADVOCACY as provided for under the Act of parliament on which it was established! Very useless indeed! By the way ,how has LAZ concluded the CJ Lombe Chibesakunda debacle, for posterity’s sake ??
ONCE A BEGGAR, ALWAYS A BEGGAR!! Zambian’s , we have no shame – what was the F..u.c.k..ing point of getting INDEPENDENT????
All you want to do is get the donated funds & STUFF YOUR POCKETS!! Real I..dii.ots!!!
Good job YALI. You are indeed fulfilling your mandate
YALI ,WE agree!! YOUR SOUND GUIDANCE AND RELEVANCE IN ZAMBIA’S GOVERNANCE TRAJECTORY IS SOUND AND DEEPLY APPRECIATED. YALI HAS PROVED ITS CAPABILITIES IN THE ZAMBIA GOVERNANCE MUCH MORE THAN LAZ ,GRAND COALITION AND ALL CSO COMBINED!
If I was the funding agency for LAZ , COULD HAVE SCRAPPED AND WITHDRAWN MY FUNDING TO THIS USELESS INSTITUTION. LAZ UNDER CHISENGA HAS PROVED IRRELEVANT TO ZAMBIA’S LEGAL AND GOVERNANCE ADVISORY ADVOCACY as provided for under the Act of parliament on which it was established! Very useless indeed! By the way ,how has LAZ concluded the CJ Lombe Chibesakunda debacle, for posterity’s sake ??
I am seriously falling in love with this organisation called YALI because the guys know what they are talking about all the time. This is why they must be term limit for civil society so that each time we have new blood with fresh understanding of governance issues. This time we need people like Fr Chiti retired from claiming they speak for the people. yali knows what it is doing. Thank you President Obama for the wonderful grooming of our youth
HONESTLY, WHY WOULD HH WITH ALL HIS MONEY COMPLAIN ABOUT NOMINATION FEES? HYPOCRISY AT IT’S WORST. IF ONLY ZAMBIA HAD 5 ORGANISATION LIKE YALI, WE WOULDNT BE HAVING ISSUES WITH UNDERSTANDING GOVERNANCE. LET US INFACT INCREASE FEES TO K200,000 FOR PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES. BIG UP YALI
ECZ is too expensive for nothing. What ECZ should have done was to train teachers from every voter registration center and pay that teacher lunch allowance. that would just be coming from his home to register.
Way back, I thought these guys were against progress but I was wrong. I was one of those who accused them of tulyemo with Govt but now I feel foolish to have misjudged them. I learn much about the Constitution and it’s intepretation from YALI than I do anywhere. Thanks guys but can you explain what you want to discuss with ECZ on councillors and Mayors so we can understand as well
But kwena ba YALI u mean well to this country and we proud of u. Where is OASIS forum and Grand Collusion mwebantu. From the time they collided during the constitution, they seem to be nursing wounds and failing to guide the nation. I blame LAZ too for having turned political and failing to guide this country