FODEP has disclosed that it plans to deploy a total of 5,000 citizen election monitors in 96 constituencies spread across all the 10 provinces of Zambia during the August 11, 2016 general elections.
FODEP Acting Executive Director Chimfwembe Mweenge said his organisation is confident that the monitors will be adequately equipped to watch the poll, as they have gone through an intensive training programme.
Mr Mweenge said the training programme covered themes such as democracy, elections and the electoral cycle including the foundation of an electoral process, free and fair elections and benchmarks or standards for democratic elections.
“Other topics included, constitutional, legal and institutional frameworks for general elections and constitutional referendum in Zambia, code of conduct for non-partisan citizen observers and the introduction to the theory and practice of election observation,” Mr Mweenge said.
He said there is no doubt that the forthcoming general election has potential to be controversial, given the divergence of opinion on many issues by stakeholders.
“We therefore believe FODEP’s presence at polling stations may minimize fraud and ensure that electoral official act according to the law. This is cardinal to safeguard the will of the people and ensure that the outcome of the election is acceptable to all stakeholders.”
“FODEP wishes to reiterate its call on the ECZ to address concerns of stakeholders, to act independently so as to ensure a free, fair and credible election in August. On our part we will play our part as electoral watchdogs and point out any anomalies we will encounter in the electoral process without any fear or favour in the interest of our democracy,” he said.
FODEP, you think Chagwa the dictator will let you do that? my feet, good luck Zambia so they will ask you to feed on rats by ECL.
Lungu the Dictator will try to rigg this election, there is no question about it. He cannot win without rigging. UPND is very Popular this year. What UPND need to do to protect the vote is to settup a parallel tabulation center where independent and international media can have free access. Then each UPND agent at the local polling station needs to take a picture of the certified results and send them electronically to the central parallel tabulation center. When they get all the results from all constituencies, they should announce the results as soon as possible. Do not, I repeat, Do not allow Lungu time to manipulate the numbers at Mulungushi international center. Also, UPND needs to plant spies deep inside ECZ and PF. People to watch are Emmanuel Mwamba and Davis Chama. Good luck!!
Aba bambi bali mucibe…bola naikosa…
SOLUTION ON HOW TO GAIN PUBLIC’S INTEREST IN THE REFERENDUM IS TO ENSURE THE REF QUESTION AND VOTING OPTIONS SHOULD OFFER POTENTIAL ANSWERS THIS WAY AS VOTING FOR; (A) RIGHTS (B) NO RIGHTS. This will be a lot better than that complicated question and answers for Yes OR No. Check or learn lessons from UK referendum, where potential voting answers were; REMAIN OR LEAVE. PLEASE ECZ TAKE COMMENT INTO CONSIDERATION.
We welcome these observers. Pse make sure these observers are protected from attacks by PF marauding thugs. Pse help us to prevent our votes from being stolen by Lungu’s Election Riggers
@1.1 I am totally with you on this one, UPND should plant spies in most strategic places and deep inside the ECZ programs, police and also watch all PF activities during voting time especially State House. There are people out there who are willing to help without getting anything in return. We all want a better Zambia for the current and future generation. The Al Ghurair Printing and Publishing Company of Dubai is a business entity and are only interested in making money, UPND can also talk to them and perhaps they can strike a deal.
This is what exactly they did last elections and lost. Let me guard my card so that I vote for ECL and nobody else
The McDonald Chipenzi club; supporters of team Mason HH are really nervous. Let me guess, they will cry elections were not free and fair. Lol! Compromised FODEP.
We were voting yesterday, the behavior voters and credibility of the electorate was excellent. I wish when Zambia go to vote they will use their head. Because if you don’t vote wisely the next 5 years will be the worse years you have ever seen Zambian economy.