Parliament yesterday heard that individuals will not require a voter’s card to vote in the Referendum on the Bill of Rights scheduled to be held simultaneously with the August, 11 general elections.
Vice-President Inonge Wina told the House in a ministerial statement that any individual in possession of a green national registration card will be eligible to participate in the Referendum.
Ms Wina also ruled out the possibility of deferring the Referendum because among other benefits of holding the event simultaneously with the general election was cost saving.
“The Electoral Commission of Zambia is finalising modalities of conducting the Referendum and this House can be rest assured that the general public will be adequately sensitised on the contents of the Bill of Rights,” Ms Wina said.
Earlier, some Members of Parliament had asked government to consider postponing the referendum.
Mafinga MP Catherine Namugala, Chongwe MP Silvia Masebo and their Mpongwe counterpart all expressed concern at the decision to hold the referendum together with the general election.
And Ms Wina has told the House that the Presidential nominations will be held between May 30th and June 3, while those for candidates for Members of Parliament and local government have been set for May 21st.
The nominations for those seeking mayoral office will be held on May 30th.
There will be chaos if this will be allowed. PF wants to win through creating confusion.
You idio.t who told you a referendum and an election are one and the same. Ingrate
Total confusion, let voters do their thing on 11 August and other nrc holders will later join us for the referendum.
how does a referendum make you win an election. a referendum is just to say yes or no to the bill of rights
Don’t put yourself at the level of the other zambians who may be illiterate. Holding a referendum together with the general election is a recipe for future confusions. Unless the other will be electronically conducted while the other will require voters to do manually. There is already confusion where the other requires a voters card & NRC whereas the other requires an NRC only. If this so, let the two be held separately. The outcome of the other will be compromised. Pipo out in rural areas may not fully understand what & the significance of a referendum.
Ifact it required a lot of education. Teaching members other wise confusions.