The UPND in Kaoma district has called on the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to extend the one-week voter verification exercise which started last Sunday following the low turn-out of registered voters in some parts of the country.
UPND Kaoma district coordinator Kenny Ndumba said some areas in Western Province’s Nkeyema, Kaoma and Luampa districts have recorded insignificant voter verification numbers mainly due to lack of information on the exercise which ends on Saturday, May 21, 2016.
A check by ZANIS in the three neighbouring districts confirmed assertions that only a few registered voters had validated their voter registration details as they were not aware that the verification exercise had started and was on-going.
In areas such as Lwambuwa and Namafulo in Kaoma’s Mangango constituency, Litoya and Lombe Lombe in Nkeyema as well as Nyambi and Lui wards in Luampa district, the message on the voter verification exercise had seemingly not reached many people because of communication hiccups.
Most people talked to in Kaoma’s Chitwa, Kalumwange and Lunyati wards also expressed ignorance of the voter verification exercise as their areas have no television or radio reception and there is a lack of the mobile phone network.
A similar unimpressive situation was found in Nkeyema’s Litoya, Lombe Lombe and Mipongo areas among others as well as in Luampa district’s Nyambi, Lui, Nkenga, Namando, and Mulwa wards all of which have communication challenges.
At Luena, Mulamatila and the District Council polling stations in Kaoma the situation was alike despite the three centres being in the township area were cell phone network is available and newspapers are equally accessible.
And the UPND official said that the apathetic situation in the township area has been compounded by ZNBC’s Radio One and TV receptions which have been off-air for weeks now leading to most people who rely on the two channels not to have information on the voter verification exercise.
Mr Ndumba said that ECZ’s messages which are being transmitted through the two channels are futile efforts as they cannot be accessed by the audience in the affected districts.
He said that even the Commission’s initiative to enable registered voters to verify their registration details using mobile phones was an ineffective mechanism as most of the potential electorate don’t have access to the devices because of network challenges.
Mr Nbumba said most people in far-flung areas do not have access to the communication means being used by ECZ to raise awareness on the verification exercise and urged the Commission to instead use public address systems to make simple announcements on this important national activity.
Mr Ndumba said that the Commission should also engage stakeholders such as Faith-Based Organisations, Civil Society organisations, Community-Based Organisations as well as the National Agriculture Information Service and ZANIS so that information can be widespread.
Ever unprepared and never ready. Too busy dreaming about Armagedone and havoc against Zambians if not rehearsing insults and predicting death of ECL. Its time to mature.
Has UPND ever been happy with PF and Lungu? In 2011 we had three ballot boxes they lost. in January 2015 we had ONE ballot box they lost. in August we shall have five boxes they are complaining. Let them boycott.
Sela tubombeko
Sonta apo abomba (HH)! Nasele babombeko ba Mr. Walk the Talk..
Even Mbesuma, Kalengo, Kangwa, Jacob.. ALL have stopped scoring since Kamanga took over power.
Ba LT M’membe will say that a foreigner has been allowed to vote in a Zambian election. Btw I too have a Voter’s card from another country. Does it mean I am a foreigner? In some countries they allow commonwealth citizens staying for a considerable period to vote so that means I am a foreigner in accordance with some people I am not eligible.
Dear UPND: please tell your president to start smiling. maybe i might consider giving him my vote.
what does the electoral act provide? Is there a provision that “were there is a low turn out of voters, voters verification will be extended for one week?” Come guys you can so better than that! Lets get this thing called voting out of the way and get on with developing our nation
Upnd are already sounding defeated. Reality is now dawning on them. The defections have stopped. They only make noise on face book. They have to use Julius Malamas rally pictures to paint a picture that they had multitides at their rally. They have no campaign message. All they bark is that they will change things, Kachema kontolola etc. Everyday day they are being cry babies. Crying rigging rigging. Yet failing to bring up tangible evedince. THIS YEAR ITS KOLOPA AGAIN!