THE Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has rubbished claims by Hakainde Hichilema that the Commission is plotting to cancel the August 11th general elections to allegedly keep President Edgar Lungu in power.
The Commission has stated that next month’s general elections will go ahead as scheduled and claims of the Commission planning to cancel or postpone the polls by the United Party for National Development (UPND) were baseless and unmerited.
ECZ public relations manager Cris Akufuna said the Commission had no power to either suspend the general elections or even cancel the polls and that it was not the intention of the electoral body to postpone the polls to sustain President Lungu to continue in power.
Mr Akufuna has challenged Mr Hichilema who is the UPND presidential candidate to provide proof of how and when the ECZ was going to either postpone or cancel the general elections.
He said ECZ had made a lot of progress in preparing for the general elections next month and that its programme was going according to plan and schedule.
Mr Akufuna said the claims and accusations were only meant to divert the attention of the Commission from effectively and fairly presiding over the electoral process.
“As a matter of fact, we do not have the power to postpone or cancel the general elections. The elections will go ahead as scheduled and claims and allegations that the Commission is planning to cancel the polls have no basis.
By law, the ECZ has no powers to cancel the elections and you challenge those claiming that the elections will be cancelled to state how this can be possible. We have the mandate to preside over the electoral process and those accusations are meant to divert our attention from effectively executing our mandate,” Mr Akufuna said.
Mr Akufuna said the UPND fears of the elections being cancelled were unfounded adding that the claims could be part of the opposition party to deflect Zambians from real issues.
Mr Hichilema while addressing a rally in Chilanga on Friday claimed that the ECZ was planning to defer the August general elections in order to sustain President Lungu’s stay in power. The UPND leader also claimed that the ECZ presidential candidates meeting whose agenda was to end violence was an attempt for the Commission to announce the cancelation of the elections.
Mr Hichilema claimed that President Lungu had realised that the Patriotic Front (PF) would not be able to win the general and would therefore want elections to be postponed so that he could stay in power a little longer.
Iwe Akufuna,but you have powers to rig the elections.We know you are working in favour of vodka chakolwa lungu and pamafi. VIVA HH 2016
Yes after exposing your intentions. that is why he had to expose your schemes.
The strong wind of change is sweeping all across Zambia. Change, here we come. We are sick and tired of mediocre leadership and Government of vision-less Chagwa Chakolwa Lungu. This thief should be chased away from State House come 11 August. I ask all well meaning and progressive Zambians to please unite our votes and vote for HH and UPND for a better and progressive Zambia. VIVA ZAMBIA VIVA! VIVA HH VIVA! VIVA CHANGE VIVA! VIVA ZAMBIA VIVA! ALL THOSE WHO DON’T WANT EDGAR LUNGU TO CONTINUE AS PRESIDENT OF OUR COUNTRY, LET US VOTE FOR HH AND UPND. THANK YOU BROTHERS. UNITED WE STAND.
Did HH say that elections can be cancelled, for real?? What is scared of? Of all what we have done for him, we thought he was a brave kachema. ECZ are not hyenas in our way. No one should be in the way. Its FORWARD, and PF & Rainbow in reverse… Dununa uko!!
why do you even waste time responding to this man who opens his mouth without thinking of what he wants to say. Just look at the video shared by Tayali. the man is too full of himself. he belives he has already won the election and is harassing everyone.
Where can I find the video? Please share the link.
you will not but you can.
Instead of enforcing the Electoral Code following the Chawama shootings and murders, ECZ drafted a Peace Accord together with PF. Why was that? Talking of sanctions that could be applied against those who breach the Accord includes suspension of candidates or parties.The cancellation of the elections Is implied.
Can Akafuna tell us where is the Final Electronic Voters Register? There are only 24 days b4 the polling day. We want the Register becoz we suspect it has been manipulated to disenfranchise voters. There is a general feeling that ECZ is compromised and is working closely with PF to rig these elections infavour of ECL. ECZ needs to earn the respect and confidence from the public by acting and being seen to be professional and impartial. The ball is entirely in ECZ’s court.
records show that he has not been for his medication
yes you were trying to..caught pants down..lol
Just mark this as one of the lies that HH has told the Zambians among many other lies
Here is the real plan by ECZ directed by ECL. The peace accord by ECZ is meant to be a trap.
Whoever breaks the rules of the ECZ peace accord would be disqualified from the elections. Hence the PF would direct their cadres to provoke UPND cadres in any way and once UPND cadres retaliate then the rules of the ECZ peace accord would be re-enforced to disqualify UPND. Chaos would arise and the elections would be cancelled by a STATE-OF-EMERGENCY order from the president.
A government can declare a state of emergency during a time of natural or human-made disaster, during a period of civil unrest.
The title of this article should read “ECZ WILL NOT CANCEL ELECTIONS AS ALLEGED BY HH BUT WiLL TRY TO RIG THE 2016 ELECTIONS IN FAVOUR OF ECL AND PF”. Yes the Peace Pledge was drafted jointly by ECZ and ECL. The idea was to trap HH into signing this Peace Accord and then set up a scheme to suspend HH from the Presidential race. Thank God HH saw thru the trick.ECL and ECZ have not stopped trying so HH should remain alert. Clearly ECZ is being used as a willing tool to rig these elections in favour of ECL. We are aware of ECL’s Election Rigging manoeuvres. People of Zambia will standby HH and UPND during the remaining trying days b4 the elections.
you will never stop to amaze the people of Zambia. Today you say waliwina kale again the same mouth you say ECZ will rig elections .So now which is which Kachema musuma? You’re confusing us; what do we believe now? You think it’s possible for people to follow a politician without a way out in his dealings. Some other time please. May the souls of our brothers and a sisters who perished in that Fatal accident to Rest in peace.
ECZ should not be tempted by UPND to cancel or change dates because the Nation plus Lungu is more than ready for a showdown.
BA hh leave a space even at least 1% doubt of winning otherwise u will corrapse don’t b cheated TT wind of change is only in Tongas mouth
Frustrated people you lost elections the day you were born. You failed to cancel the sale of mines and campanies and now you want to lie to us that you give us free education. Tell me something of the free education you received and all the riches HH has acquired from the sale of mines and parastatal companies what has he given back to the country to show the good will of free education.
ok u pipo u ar jst tokng nosense coz u all u here u ar nt de only 1 voting let jst watch **** u all toking abt HH N ECL we ill see on dat day kwasila
ECZ put a ban on campaign in Lusaka and Namwala – they are capable of anything dubious
Bembas are POACHERS OF MONKEYS. FROM now START eating beef and move away from eating their cousins – leave the monkeys alone. Cultivate the land and grow crops and STOP EATING THE MONKEY MEAT.