Some stakeholders have called on the Electoral Commission of Zambia to be more flexible during the filing in of nominations.
Speaking in separate interviews SACCORD Executive Director Boniface Cheembe and YALI President Andrew Ntewewe said ECZ should not be rigid when dealing with candidates who had reported late for nomination due to various reasons because the commission risks looking biased when it does not allow for dialogue.
Mr Cheembe said though the commission should not be blamed, it is only reasonable it considers accommodating those failed to file in their nomination and allow them to participate in the electoral process.
“When time is not fulfilled it delays others who want to file in their nominations. Clearly this is an issue that has to be addressed because unfortunately as Africans we have a problem with time keeping therefore as SACCORD we would like to appeal to ECZ to consider accommodating those who come within 30minutes of their time elapsing so as to take in part of our culture which is that of coming late.
“It maybe helpful to perhaps be a bit more flexible and allow those who failed to file in their nomination to do so and avoid a situation were they start engage in accusations directed at the electoral body as being unfair and not flexible,” he said.
He added that ECZ should not allow the situation to question their credibility.
And Mr Ntewewe said ECZ should be firm but flexible when the situation requires them to do so especially that the country will be holding elections under a new constitution.
He said the country’s electoral body has been praised as being the best in the region hence the sport light will be once more on them as stakeholders in the region would want to learn something from them.
He said it is incumbent on the ECZ to ensure that they exhibit high levels of professionalism and ensure that the institution is seen to be independent.
He said it is only fair that if some candidates who are delayed due to various reasons are attended to by polling agents if they are still at the civic.
He said polling stations usually don’t close while voters are still in a queue waiting to vote hence the same should be extended to candidates.
The duo however called on political parties to put their houses in order saying the same behavior can be extended to public offices when elected.
Yesterday a number of Mayoral candidates from FDD and MMD failed to file their nominations after arriving late at the various civic centers something that led to FDD leader Edith Nawakwi storming the ECZ offices at 18hours were she engaged into a verbal spat with ECZ Chairperson Esau Chulu.
Watch the space, when ECZ fails to open polling stations or fail to deliver the electoral docs on time we wont accept either. Late coming is bad but common sense should prevail in situations where it does not create over running others .
Rules are rule! Filling for nomination is the same as tender submission…1 minutes late and you are out. There is no compromise. It is shocking that NGO are advocating for mediocrity.
After fighting, backbiting and corrupting lots of people, somebody then turns up late for filing. How crazy is that? You would think that any one with a nomination certificate from any party would arrive early to make sure that they are on the ballot. Some people!
SACCORD, PLEASE PLEASE, STOP BEING DISGUSTING!!!!
On one hand, YOU WANT A CLEAN DEMOCRACY, WITH A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD, on the other, YOU WANT RULES BENT WITH IMPUNITY!!
Cheembe YOU HAVE BROUGHT SACCORD’S name into disrepute – YOU SHOULD RESIGN WITH OUT BEING PUSHED – this is a REAL TEST for an AFRICAN – but , hey, Cheembe is a “GENTLE-MAN”, AM VERY SURE HE WILL HAVE RESIGNED before the COCK CROWS AT MIDNIGHT TONIGHT!!!!
VOTE WISELY 11/8/2016!! VOTE FOR LEVEL PLAYING FIELDS!! VOTE FOR ZAMBIA FORWARD!!
Vote UPND!! Abantu baya!!
#chagwamustfall!! pamaFi kuyabebele!!
I thank you!!
SACCORD, PLEASE PLEASE, STOP BEING DISGUSTING!!!!
On one hand, YOU WANT A CLEAN DEMOCRACY, WITH A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD, on the other, YOU WANT RULES BENT WITH IMPUNITY!!
Cheembe YOU HAVE BROUGHT SACCORD’S name into disrepute – YOU SHOULD RESIGN WITH OUT BEING PUSHED – this is a REAL TEST for an AFRICAN – but , hey, Cheembe is a “GENTLE-MAN”, AM VERY SURE HE WILL HAVE RESIGNED before the CO.C.K CROWS AT MIDNIGHT TONIGHT!!!!
VOTE WISELY 11/8/2016!! VOTE FOR LEVEL PLAYING FIELDS!! VOTE FOR ZAMBIA FORWARD!!
Vote UPND!! Abantu baya!!
#chagwamustfall!! pamaFi kuyabebele!!
I thank you!!
…unfortunately as Africans we have a problem with time keeping…
Honestly , did I just read that?
Thanks
BB2014
How can SACCORD promote incompetence – particularly with aspiring leaders?
This is bull crap, why should you reward people for being late. How are they going to represent people if they can’t keep time?
That is the reason why Zambia lags behind in development.
We don’t respect opportunities the ride on the back of time keeping.
No one has a right to abuse time limits.
Absolutely! The institutions have broken down! When you go to the police to report something, you become the victim! When you go to the hospital, there is no medicine! When you go to get a driving license, you find boys and old men hustling to do the license for you! Even when you go to Shoprite someone is offering you the same commodities cheaper! Need I say more?
Some NGOs just talk even if what they are saying is nosense…And who pays overtime to ECZ officials for working late. …
In the elections Candidate Calendar YOU CAN MAKE FILLING ONLINE AND REDUCE MOST OF THESE not necessary by in person The mail option is another with valid declaration for those unable due to certain technicalities especially as the number of candidates increases to 10 or 20
Then the order should be from Presidential to Parliamentary to Local fitting in the Structure of Governance to avoid a team being fit into the coach rather than the team fitted by the coach
Give also enough months between nominations declaration and closure of nomination calendar giving room for withdrawal also of those candidates that could be impaired for various reasons
making the election calendar a bit more easier to manage and confirmation of ballot Information
supposing you had 40 MPs for Livingstone it will go on for 40 days or 20 or 15 almost Be flexible and go online and for those who are comfortable with Personal allow but make a ruling
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Keeping time is respect for yourself and the people you are dealing with. What is African about foolishly arriving late for a planned schedule? Some NGO’s!!!!
Disgusting is all i can say!
What happens if everybody decides to come late? Nominations should spill into the next day? I believe these all have a minimum of grade twelve. Nomination is like exam entry. It has a due date. After the due date you can’t enter unless corruptly. Elections are like the exams. Once you have entered for the exams there is slightly more flexibility. The exam can start late due to logistical problems or you can ever defer due to illness or bereavement ( at higher level).For once let’s be serious on just a little thing like nominations. If we let ECZ do their work profesdionally now, God willing they will be courageous enough to do it the whole way till August 13th when we expect the final result. We all need to be seriously praying for them for the sake of peace.
Saying “as Africans we have a problem with time keeping therefore as SACCORD we would like to appeal to ECZ to consider accommodating those who come within 30minutes of their time elapsing so as to take in part of our culture which is that of coming late.” what kind of nonsense is this??
*****s we entrust to run affairs of the nation can’t even keep time, what meaningful results do we expect from them.
“Clearly this is an issue that has to be addressed because unfortunately as Africans we have a problem with time keeping therefore as SACCORD we would like to appeal to ECZ to consider accommodating those who come within 30minutes of their time elapsing so as to take in part of our culture which is that of coming late.”
I can’t believe it! LT some of these people should not be given space to bark like that. How does going late for filing of nomination papers/work or school become one’s culture?
Zambia the real Africa.