IT is unacceptable to smear the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) with baseless pronouncements of concerns of rigging, The Evangelical fellowship of Zambia (EFZ) Executive Director Reverend Pukuta Mwanza has said.
Rev. Mwanza said such concerns were likely to create hype among members of the public, which if a candidate loses after the August elections, the outcome would have been a product of an electoral fraud.
“Certainly, there will emerge only one presidential winner and others will be losers after the elections. If the candidate for those who feel that the elections may be rigged emerges a winner through the work of the same ECZ, will they still discredit the outcome and subsequently reject the result?” Rev. Mwanza asked.
He said the decision of who to vote for was in the hands of the Zambian people on the appointed day of elections.
Rev. Mwanza urged candidates and supporters of political parties to pre-occupy themselves with sharing of their visions and aspirations for the country with the Zambian people and to engage in voter education programmes to increase voter turnout.
Rev. Mwanza advised Zambians to invest their trust in the work of ECZ based on its track record and transparency throughout the electoral processes ahead of the elections.
“We are aware that ECZ is the most credible Electoral body in the region and ranks very high on the continent. EFZ does not subscribe to outrageous comments made by some people and organisations when the same people that are complaining and raising doubts now have been attending a series of meetings at ECZ at which the stakeholders adequately understood what was involved in the preparations and management of the elections,” he said.
Recently, some opposition political parties and veteran politicians such as Vernon Mwaanga have criticised the shortlisting a Dubai-based company to print Zambia’s ballot papers for the August 11 general elections.
There goes another nincompoop by the name of Reverend Pukuta Mwanza. By the way, can this imbecile be a man of God or in other ways, is his name written in the Book of Life in heaven ? Just by eka small brown envelope from the PF Government, he has left the pulpit just like his friend former father Bwalya and they are now chief spokesmen for the corrupt PF government. Just like his name, there is little doubt that ali pukuta uyu kashimikila (Reverend) uwabufi.
@Mulilansolo Mbesuma he is a nincompoop because he does not agree with ZWD/UPND. come one this is so lame. Resorting to name calling and insults – as it is the norm in ZWD/UPND – can never take Zambia forward. Provide tangible evidence do not just gobble what ZWD publishes on orders from HH/UPND as truth.
Reason do not resort to name calling, you cam never take Zambia forward like this. YOU WILL LOSE AS USUAL
Pukuta Mwanza- Prophet of the devil only speaking for his filthy tummy.
What do these Evangelicals know about rigging? What fellowship has light with darkness? Or are they darkness too?
It’s not the voting that’s democracy; it’s the counting. ~Tom Stoppard, Jumpers
The people who cast the votes don’t decide an election, the people who count the votes do.
Joseph
WAKO NI WAKO SYNDROME! YOU MWANZA WE ALL KNOW THAT YOUR COUNTER REMARKS HAVE BEEN FORMULATED TO ADVANTAGE THE CRIMINAL EDGAR CHAGWA LUNGU WHO HAS ALREADY DESTROYED OUR COUNTRY AFTER HE IMPOSED HIMSELF ON US LAST YEAR IN JANUARY, AND NOW HE AGAIN WANTS TO IMPOSE HIMSELF ON US AFTER AUGUST 11. THIS WE SHALL NOT ACCEPT. EVERYONE IS WAITING FOR THE DAY SO THAT WE VOTE FOR CHANGE. CHANGE , HERE WE COME.
The problem with most parties and many people in our country is failure to understand laws governing the land. Every one familiar with the ZPPA act which governs procurement by government institutions would not want to argue with the stance taken by ECZ. So far, I have not seen any concerns raised, that qualify under such an act and this is very sad for our country. People arguing without reading the ZPPA act. I hope we can be very object regardless of the parties we support. We have only one home/nation and that is Zambia. we should all try and preserve our peace by contributing objectively even if the party in power is not our preferred one…lets respect the wishes of the majority! That’s democracy.
Former ECZ Deputy Director convicted over $90,000 bribe Source Lusaka Times
pukuta iz a pf cadre and tribalist just advise ecz to engage a printer acceptabo by everyone.
Has ZWD/UPND/HH ever accepted any printer or elections for that matter proposed or done by any one other than themselves. Please guys open your eyes UPND/HH want anarchy as usual even before the ballots are cast.
ECZ IS INDEPENDENT LET THEM DO THEIR WORK IN PEACE.
PUKUTA in other languages means … FOOLISH. UYU MUNTU ALIPUKUTA. no wonder.
is it only upnd which has raised its voice against the issue? All stakeholders so far except for EFZ. I think it is wrong the Reverend to come out like this on an issue with two lines of thoughts because doing so disqualifies him to be a peace make in case of conflicts…my thoughts
Its totally dangerous to have a reverand who opposes everything that comes out from stakeholders. Its us the voters who feel cheated at the end of the day thats why we are rejecting the idea of ballot papers to be printed far away from home. Why not South Africa? Something fishy must have happened between PF govt and South Africa. i suspect kickbacks were not properly shared.
That is why some of these so called pastors can never be trusted , imagine instead of sitting down the ECZ and the other stakeholders ,this Pukuta Mwanza does the opposite . Churches leader must not side with any one but resolve the issues at hand with all the aggrieved parties, not what we are seeing here in Zambia.
Does the man of cloth Rev Mwanza know what he is talking about? The South African Printer who has printed our ballots b4 has as his bid price $1.7 million, Govt Printer Is $3.92 million while that of the Dubai printer,Al Ghurair Is $3.57 million. The so called winning bidder quoted is more than double the Renform bid (the RSA Printer). Zambia has very little foreign exchange so how does ECZ justify selecting the Dubai Printer as a winning bidder? There are more questions tha answers Rev Mwanza.
Yes Peter tell them the truth. I am beginning to think some of these pastors and rev should be banned from churches. Surely, why sell your soul and gain the whole world – pastor now are taking bribes left, centre, right and have forgotten the biblical principles. Why in the right mind would you make such a statement as a rev and pastor when it’s clear that those torturing through economic hardship our people will stop at nothing to continue in power
Please reverend avoid commenting on issues your rarely understand. You are embarrassing your followers. Why do church people involve themselves in politics.
BA LUCY, WHEN IT IS YOUR HOPELESS SO CALLED BISHOP SIMON CHIHANA ISSUING A VERY USELESS STATEMENT YOU ALWAYS KEEP QUIET. REV. P. MWANZA’S STATEMENT MAKES SENSE THAN YOUR WOMANIZER CHIHANA. BRAVO MWANZA, BRAVO REV. MWANZA.
EFZ is full of money loving pastors who are self ordained,they are full of lies,all they care is money not Gods word.
Pukuta Mwanza: Leave this issue to opposition to debate, why have they taken to Dubai if they are honest. We know you have been paid. We want ballot papers to be printed in South Africa or within Zambia,why did you invite foreigners to bid? Catholic mission press can do better,they are independent.
Free and fair elections is a must.
Stop commenting on this issue Pukuta Mwanza
last election printing was done in south Africa and some opposition were not happy and started chasing trucks on suspicion that they carrying pre printed ballots. how come today we want to go back to the same printer. foolish opposition.
I could not have put it any better Rev. You have said it all. The ECZ is doing a great job indeed. Only lunatics are raising baseless concerns. Let the ECZ go ahead with their business. If HH and his goons let alone Mmembe don’t like it, let him/them go hang! Whereas the ECZ’s job is to organize elections, politicians job at this juncture is to organize supporters period.
He might be one of them that have acepted the offer from pres. Lungu to campain in his church, kaili ba lungu said he will campain in the church that is where people are. I assume the so call Rev.’s church is one of such platforms. He has sold his soul to the devil!
What has gone wrong with this lovely christian nation that men of God have now been turned into deceivers of their followers? First it was the now mad father Bwalya and now there goes another Pukuta Mwanza. Anyway the name PUKUTA itself means a lot. Surely money is the root of all evil and PUKUTA has joined the web of evil money. Leave the matter to the Politicians we know how compromised you are. Learn from brother Nevers who God has whipped for betraying the flock.
Guys,
Rigging is the best tool opposition parties have at their disposal.
This was evident in:
Venezuela
Malaysia
Fiji
Haiti
President HH ought to get his act together. Policy issues are needed on:
1) Agriculture, encouraging peasants and crop diversification. Contemporaneously with that, encourage self sufficiency.
2) Mining, open up deposits in places like Milenge, Chongwe, Mpongwe, Lufwanyama. Zambians being the host, ought to own about 20% of all mining ventures. Preferably through a collective for the host community.
3) Energy, so we finally put an end to load shedding.
4) SIDO’s, boiler-making, tailoring, furniture making, knitting skills proliferate throughout the length and breadth of Zambia.
5) A policy on fisheries. Our fish stocks are fastly being depleted as…
If the figures quoted by @8: Peter Banda are correct, then ECZ are just hiding behind ZAPPA, there is something fishy going on. ECZ is conducting elections on behalf of political players who will pay huge sums of money to participate. It is therefore important for ECZ to engage all political players and assure them that what they are doing is transparent and the elections will be free and fair. ECZ can NOT be independent as long as the appointments are made by the incumbent President. As for Pukuta Mwanza, better be neutral if you are a man of God, leave politics to politicians.
PEOPLE EVEN IF BALLOT PAPERS WERE TO BE PRINTED IN KALOMO, PEMBA OR MONZE, UPND WOULD STILL CRY FOUL THAT WHY PICK A TOWN IN SOUTHERN PROVINCE AND NOT LUSAKA , PF WANT TO RIG.
PLEASE LEAVE ECZ TO DO THEIR JOB. VJ SHOULD KEEP THE SECRECY OF OATH HE UNDERTOOK WHEN HE WAS INCHARGE OF INTELLIGENCE AT ONE TIME OR ELSE SHOULD COME OUT AND TELL US HOW HE HELPED TO RIG ELECTIONS IN THE PAST.
AM EVEN SUPRISED TODAY THAT ” THE SELF CONFESSED DRUG DEALER” AS PER POST NEWSPAPER BANNER HEADLINES IN PAST USED TO DESCRIBE HIM CAN TODAY STAND TO BE Mr. CLEAN. PLEASE VJ RETIRE IN HONOUR. AM TOLD YOU CAN STEP IN GERMANY OR USA AND PLEASE GIVE US YOUR VCT STATUS AS DEMANDED BY THE LATE ” KING COBRA”