THE Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) says it will use the short message service (SMS) facility for registered voters to verify their registration status.
Chairperson Judge Esau Chulu said this facility will be effective and enable many people check and rectify their details. Justice Chulu, however, said the commission will not extend the voter registers’ verification period when it comes to an end.
He said this in Lusaka on Friday when he addressed presidential candidates and stakeholders in the forthcoming general elections.
Justice Chulu said all registered voters are expected to check their details within the seven days window provided for by the law.
“After the close of voter registration at the end of this month, registered voters and stakeholders will be accorded a seven days’ window to inspect the register of voters from May 15 to 21, 2016,” Justice Chulu said.
He said the final voters’ register will be certified on July 31, 2016, to enable all eligible persons who will have turned 18 years by then to register as voters and participate in this year’s elections.
Justice Chulu said this is why the commission will provide an SMS facility for registered voters to verify their registration status.
“Please be advised that the commission will use the current register of voters (2011 register), for purposes of verifying aspiring candidates and their supporters,” he said.
Justice Chulu also reminded political parties that aspiring candidates and their supporters should only be those that appear in the 2011 register of voters as this will be the official register at the time of nominations.
“I urge political parties and aspiring candidates in particular to adequately prepare for the verification of supporters which will be conducted at provincial centres from May 19 to 23, 2016,” he said.
Justice Chulu also said in accordance with Article 52 (4) and (5), the commission has revised the nomination timelines to accommodate petitions that may arise from the nomination process.
“The revised nominations dates are as follows; for presidential candidates it will be May 30 to June 3, 2016, mayoral and council chairpersons, May 30, 2016, and for National Assembly and local government elections, May 31, 2016,” Justice Chulu said.
This is a travesty of fairness and democracy. Why not print the registers and send them to polling centres for eligible voters to verify physically instead of SMS?
Anything short of the above suggested method for verification is tantamount to rigging by altering the details of the register.
Chulu be warned , any irregularities in these coming polls people will not be happy with you abd you know what they will do.
Viva UPND and HH team.
Forward Chabe..
Let’s embrace technology baba, we need to start moving forward. In future we should be able to log in, check, amend and update online. I understand some people don’t have phones to receive SMSs on but such is life it’s not fair, we’ve to start off anyways they’ll catch up.
we want you to give us a comprehensive report on the number of eligible voters. not whereby hearing that vubwi 1000 000 awe twakana. let the pipo chose their leader not because of money you impose a useless person as our leader. you know what i will kill you.
Therein lies the carcass – the Voters’ Register MUST be MANUALLY verified at CONSTITUENCY LEVEL and not via sms: The Opposition MUST take this matter before the High Court !!
And what if someone doesn’t have a phone, changed their number, had their phone stolen, lives outside the coverage area, etc? Just yesterday people were jumping up and down about Grade 12 qualifications “discriminating” against women. Now ECZ says you must be rich enough to own a phone in order to vote? What if someone can’t respond to the SMS? What if the man controls the household’s phone and not the woman? How does ECZ plan to verify the registration status of these citizens?
We shall not accept this sms thing.Chulu be warned you are looking for trouble.You have already started rigging from word go,from the fees,dublicating voters cards and now you want people not to physically inspect the voters register in the costituences. Dont blames us if you put the country in flames of fire.
I personally know you judge Chulu you have a heart of a lion and you are capable of anything.We shall deal with you pano nono till you cry if yu mess up the elections.
All you opposition cants are toothless you can’t do anything.
in fact what we want is you to give us the total numbers of eligible voters per constituency if not per polling station after verifications.
THis man, is he telling us that evryone who registered as voters have access to his so called SMS. What happens to those people who has no phones or Laptops / computers to usse. Think of a Topical villager in Shangombo. This Man is some how dull. Let everyone PHYSICALLY go and verify there names and NRCs, PERIOD.
Bad leaders always think of how to manipulate things to their advantage.
i jst feel for pipo livin in remot areas wit no access to network.we want to embrace technology yes,but it shudnt be imposed on the pipo. Having a 4ne is nt a qulification to register as a voter