On Wednesday, UPND spokesperson Charles Kakoma said ECZ could choose to print the ballot papers for the August general elections anywhere in the world but that would not stop the UPND from emerging victorious and take over the governance of the country.
But according to the letter which was written and signed by UPND Secretary General Stephen Katuka, the UPND charged that the party was of the view that the procurement process was not followed as stipulated by the Zambia Procurement Act.
“Following the continued but not concluded discussions and uncertainty surrounding the procurement of ballot papers from the Dubai Company, A1 Ghurair Printing and Publishing Plc, it has become necessary for my office on behalf of UPND to request for documentation on the procurement process.
“Your silence as a national public procurement regulator has not helped the situation as things have become more uncertain to the extent that the Zambian people have been left wondering on the motive and intent of the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) and Government of the Republic of Zambia,” reads the letter in parts.
The letter demanded that ZPPA should authenticate the procurement process and the leading institutions involved in the process.
The UPND has requested for the appeal letter written by Ren-form, the South Africa-based company against the award of the tender to A1 Ghurair Printing and Publishing Plc of Dubai.
“Since the Appeals Committee from your institution deliberated on the appeal, you must have given ECZ some guidance. We, therefore, request for the letter you wrote to ECZ explaining the guidance, your response to Ren-form, the South Africa-based company,” reads the letter.
The UPND has further requested for the response received by ZPPA from ECZ on what the Commission had done differently to correct the errors they made during the evaluation, technical, commercial and post evaluation stages.
“Since you are the regulator, you must have presided over the ECZ response and given them further direction. We, therefore, demand for the letters you gave to ECZ, which letters shows that you, as ZPPA, authenticated and cleared the procurement process to warrant award of the Tender to A1 Ghurair Printing and Publishing Plc,” further reads the letter.
But Mr Kakoma said the opposition party had no intentions of boycotting the forthcoming general elections despite the ECZ having decided to print the key voting materials in Dubai.
He said the UPND would ensure that all manner of electoral misconduct was curtailed systematically.
Mr Kakoma claimed that there was no chance for the Patriotic Front (PF) of retaining power because according to him, the ruling party had been a story of failure and mismanagement and that Zambians were now fed up.
WE INDEED NEED THE EVIDENCE THAT THE DUBAI company has not been hand picked!!
Pamafikuyabebele!!
I thank you!!
Why cannot HH boycott elections like our great warrior KK did on being mistreated by late Kafupi?
Whichever way, HH made a self-inflicting pain.
He has dribbled himself from continuing with his political career.
HH’s political career has been deeply challenged, because after losing in August 2016 he will be forced to retire from active politics by the ‘guys’ or is he going to accept to be a mere UPND member, or at least a member of the NEC?
Let us assume that in the unlikely even he won the election (forgive me for assuming the impossible), GBM would be a thorn in HH’s flesh – take it or leave it. GBM would have a constitutional mandate just like HH, and HH will have no powers to fire him. Those who know GBM will tell you, that HH’s would not be easy.
You may not like what I have said but that matters little the point is that, whichever way, HH’s career has taken a self-inflicted challenge because of greed – the hunger and thirsty for State House.
Even in 2015 you and your fellow failures kept mumbling and talking same rhetoric and bigotry but ECL triumphed. HH lost and will happen 2016.
HH blind followers think 2015 numbers were a popularity test for him. You forget simple facts that voter turnout was 33% average but 95% in Southern province. That is why 2016 voter register shows Southern province having 17% of voters beating Northern, Luapula and Eastern so that hh wins on voter turnout.
Bringing into HH team, haters of ECL like Kilometer, Sikoti, maroads masebo gbm will not make hh win 2016 election. Be prepared for an excruciating defeat. Zambians have already decided. KATEKA is already known, UMUNTU (human( NOT ANIMAL (HH), is already known, NI LUNGU.
Mwanya ba upnd, u still ve another 10 to 15 yrs in opposition. Just bcoz u appoint a South African-Bemba does not mean Bembas r stupid enuf not to c that Tongas ONLY r in charge in yo party. Its still a bantustan party
Why cannot HH boycott elections like our great warrior KK did on being mistreated by late Kafupi?
@Tobela, Very funny I can’t stop laughing…
Talk about lack of consistency!! UPND deliberately tried to bully ECZ into selecting another printing company and incited the public to believe PF were rigging. They cant be trusted. PF will win this election.
Gbm HH and team oiled the south African company in advance to help them rig the elections. Looks like they have been dribbled and now are crying foul to Ecz since they can’t reclaim that money from the printing firm as they Upnd have failed to secure business for them. That’s the noise you have been hearing about Dubai company not been favourite for them.
IT IS UNDERSTOOD THAT ANGLO FIMO FIMO THE MINING CONGLOMERATE THAT DUMPED ZAMBIA HAS SHARES IN THE HH/UPND CHOSEN SOUTH AFRICAN COMPANY. HH OWES THIS COMPANY A LOT OF MONEY AS THEY HAVE BEEN SPONSORING UPND CAMPAIGNS. AND HH HAS PROMISED TO FACILITATE THEIR COME-BACK IF, IN THE MOST UNLIKELY CIRCUMSTANCE, UPND WIN THE ELECTIONS.
There’s NO flip flopping here. Kakoma has been consisted in his message. Lusaka Times you’re either liars or just useless at the English language. Can you please show us where this message is inconsistent with what Kakoma and UPND had said earlier?
I SECOND BOTH KAKOMA AND KATUKA. PF CAN USE ANY INTIMIDATION MEANS BUT VIVA UPND. PF SAID CHIFUBU IS A NO GO AREA FOR UPND, I THINK THEY HAVE SEEN FOR THEMSELVES. PF CHIKONKO MWIKATE. WHY IS PF AND ITS CADRES NOT CHASING UP OTHER OPPOSITION PARTIES BUT ONLY UPND? THE ANSWER IS SIMPLE BECAUSE UPND HAS GAINED GREEP THROUGHOUT ZAMBIA. NO REVERSE BUT FORWARD.
WINAS NEVER QUIT AND QUITERS NEVER WIN IS OUR UPND SYNDROM. THE MORE YOU INSULT US THE MORE UPND BECOMES STRONGER AND STRONGER.
Why cannot HH boycott elections like our great warrior KK did on being mistreated by late Kafupi?
Spineless HH and wife battere GBM. Have courage and show it. Die for principles.
What evidence do you want and by the way do not generalises its the upnd people not all Zambian. You are just cry babies. After going around the country you know whats lies on the ground thats why you are bringing the issue that has been dealt with. Mwilatunasha nama complaints mwe. Just put your house in order. Everytime escape goats.
I like your term ‘escape goats’…
Vote wisELy. Don’t vote foolisHHly
On this planet earth, everything has got its own time therefore, time shall come and it will be soon when those who are trying to manipulate the Zambian Constitutional Law for their own selfish interests and political gain shall face the wrath of the same law they are trying to manipulate. If a minister is appointed by being a member of parliament, what is the purpose of keeping such a minister in the same position after dissolution of parliament ? In the continent of Africa, I doubt if true democracy really exist or it’ s just democracy on paper because it’ s like many people are still ignorant therefore, they do no fully understand the principle. What a hell of governments we have in this continent.
Up and Down as usual! Uku baleya, uku belenya masushi! Nonsense!
Its not HH who needs to boycott. Actually he should encourage people to vote in large numbers. Not all zamians are fools.ECZ can print but not under directies from anyone or any political party. See the differece? Simple isn’t it? No backtracking.