Friday, March 29, 2024

Zambia has capacity to print ballot papers locally- President Lungu

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President Lungu speaking to Journalist before leaving for Rwanda
President Lungu speaking to Journalist before leaving for Rwanda

President Edgar Lungu has challenged stakeholders and opposition political parties to explain why ballot papers should not be printed locally.

Speaking on arrival from Kigali, Rwanda at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (KKIA) in Lusaka today, President Lungu said the country has the capacity to print ballot papers.

President Lungu said claims by stakeholders that printing of ballot papers locally will encourage rigging is baseless.

The Head of State has since called on concerned parties to indicate how elections can be rigged so that all the loopholes are sealed.

He said in 1991 ballot papers were printed locally and the then opposition Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) won the elections.

President Lungu stated that stakeholders are free to inspect the facility before ballot papers are printed out so that they can give recommendations.

He further said the problem with Zambians is that they love complaining without any evidence, a situation he described as unfair.

President Lungu said there is need to move forward and ensure that the country does not spend so much money in printing of ballot papers abroad.

The Head of State said time has come for Zambians to look at the positive side of printing ballot papers locally so that the local industry may also benefit.

Meanwhile, President Lungu said it is important to learn from the happenings in other countries on tribal issues.

President Lungu said tribal issues if not well handled has the capability of bringing trouble in the country.

He added that the problem with tribalism is that innocent people are the ones that are victimized and segregated against.

The President said it is a well-known fact that people in the country have suffered on account of their tribe regardless of the province they come from.

63 COMMENTS

    • The president is right; the stakeholders have to agree.

      In fact now they are complaining about printing ballots outside because the government is printing them outside.

      If the government decided to answer their call to print within they was raise their cry but now in the very opposite manner.

      That is how, African stakeholders behave.

    • That’s when you woke up Mar Ibala?. You eat big now?? You embarrass Zambians, that you are learning from a country that came from Civil war. Because they have a vision?? They are way ahead of Zambia.

    • THIS HAS BEEN MY CALL SINCE 19 NSHISHIBANTU – SO FAR, YOU HAVE SHOWN THAT YOU ARE PRAGMATIC. FIRST BEGIN TO FIX THE DELAY IN INAUGURATING THE WINNING CANDIDATE THAT WE WITNESSED AT THE LAST POLLS.
      ======================
      No doubt that is a progressive move. I am confident that that can be achieved. We must not waste money by going either to South Africa or Dubai. Next we were going to ask Malawi to print ballots for us. We should be ashamed of ourselves.

    • There are bad omens in Zambia already and Kabila just walked into them. It didn’t help that he was already a dictator with a baggage. Coming back to the comment by this guy masquerading as a President, he has an obsession with elections which he steals and you the in tray at State House is full. Next he’ll be on his way to a province. He’s a bad example of a good citizen.

    • HH and Kabwili must not allow it, this guy has no shame, he will ring and ring big time! He is surrounded by mafios such as Kaizer, Mumbi, Kamba, Kampyongo, etc, who were openly inflating fidgeting with votes with shame-remember the Obvious Mwaliteta saga at City Airport?.
      The opposition won in 1991 because Kaunda had some dignity in him-Chagwa has no dignity, he can even commit mass murder to remain in power.
      And look who is talking about tribalism, the championer of the scourge himself! He is busy getting rid of the Tonga, Lozis, Kaondes, etc, from the Civil Service, and here he is hallucinating, is this koswe normal? Chagwa is one shameless hypocrite who has no shame.

    • Already talking about ballot papers 2018 February. Mr Kawalala can you please concentrate on issues that are relevant at this moment. You truly don’t have any plans for Zambia.The only thing you are good at is telling people to steal.Uubomba mwibala alya mwibala

    • It’s like asking a Koswe to count the number of groundnuts inside a pot or a asking monkey to count bananas.

      It’s not capacity we are worried about BUT lungu’s integrity or lack of it.

      Everyone knows Lungu has mastered the art of rigging elections. Locally printing ballot papers is a new gimmick to rig 2021 election which he’s not even eligible to stand for.

  1. The president is right; the stakeholders have to agree.

    In fact now they are complaining about printing ballots outside because the government is printing them outside.

    If the government decided to answer their call to print within they was raise their cry but now in the very opposite manner.

    That is how, African stakeholders behave.

  2. It’s so strange that Edgar only makes statements at the airport,,,, ku ma bars when drinking he doesnt talk much he just dances a lot

  3. First we have to see ZP raise about PF kaponya pf cader rats instead of being controlled by them…..instruct your police to arrest the PF rats assaulting the opposition……if the PF kaponya cader rats can controll police in Zambia and committ assaults in front of them , what chance do election people printing papers have ??

    • It appears, that according to your rather limited intellect, any comment which is contrary to your non existing “wisdom” (LOL) must be either PF or UPND?
      By any chance you are follower from that old corrupt fat SOB Banda?

  4. Why do there have to be so many people at the airport when Lungu is leaving the country or arriving? Even when it’s for 24 hours. Resources used, work hours ignored etc; It’s unbelievable that this still goes on at this scale.

    • Imagine…. Most chaps in jackets, tied,security uniforms etc got nothing to do, even in their offices…so they follow the leader

  5. Bwana Lungu even if we had the capacity we wouldn’t trust your corrupt administration cuz you would print extra to stuff the ballot boxes.

    • Like it or not we are not going external this time. We want to beat VJ at his own game. No international friends to run to for help bwana HH.

    • All done within four walls of the PF?
      It looks that presidential crap-roll was test run?
      !mbecile, can you remove thorn from your pea-size brain?

    • What if Lungu has already printed pre-marked ballots then he is hoodwinking opposition to inspect government printers. No way next time.

  6. He should first look at his tribally bigoted appointments where 99% are only Bemba and Nyanja at the exclusion of others especially Tongaz and North Westerners. That’s why he is such a fool, only him could not see this until he visited the genocide museum in Kigali.

  7. The concern is the lack of integrity of government systems. This is a system that bought 42 fire trucks for $42 million a piece, was shallow on transparency on Mukula transactions among other questionable issues.

    This is not a trust worthy government, period.

  8. Why don’t they not ask him about $288,000 Ambulances …all these questions passed on by Amos..if he is serious he can hold a press conference where reporters from everywhere ask him questions from where they are sat.

  9. UPND WILL NEVER MATURE AS A PARTY….ITS A CRY-BABY PART… THEY BATH RIGGING..BREATH RIGGING…EAT RIGGING… DANCE RIGGING….

    HOW DID CHILUBA WIN THE 1991 ELECTION WITH A POPULAR YES VOTE..EVEN WHEN BALLOT PAPERS WERE PRINTED LOCALLY..

    STOP HALLUCINATING !!!!!!!!

  10. This is the problem with upnd. They floush in lies. Kambwili called the ba puti. In everything they have a reason. Instead of taking advantage of Lungu call to stakeholders in the civil society and opposition to bring forward the concerns and fear to the government or parliament or bring suggestion of how the country can seal all loopholes they may lead to manipulation if ballots are printed in Lusaka. If Zambia will develop we must first shall confidence in our institutions. Who has bewitched us? When perception superceeds the truth society collapses. The best way to deal with perception or in known fears is to point out issues on a round table with a give and take spirit. The government on the other hand must show leadership by initiating dialogue on the long awaited decision to…

    • “…The best way to deal with perception or in known fears is to point out issues on a round table with a give and take spirit..”

      The violence and brutality suffered by the opposition are not perceptions….it is happening right in front of police at the hands of pf……

  11. Supposing we Zambians listened to upndeez and removed President Lungu from office, surely you are not suggesting that h.h is an alternative are you? Lets be serious.

  12. If I remember quiet well, the President when in copperbelt mentioned about PF winning elections by 65% in 2021. I believe this is the only way to achieve it. Otherwise its a good idea for a government that is not corrupt. ubomba mwibala.

  13. YES WE CAN PRINT LOCALLY BUT THE MACHINES MUST BE IN CHINESE LANGUAGE CODING, LETS PREPARE FOR ROAN , MUNALI AND LUSAKA CENTRAL AS LITMUS TEST

  14. Thank you Mr. President! We have had this capability for a long time! The only problem is that the party of hallucinations and delusions will be stopping every track or bus or van or taxi they see to inspect it! “It is carrying ballot papers!” they will say. A party of children!

  15. “President Edgar Lungu has challenged stakeholders and opposition political parties to explain why ballot papers should not be printed locally.”

    Let the Zambian know that you’re not going to run in 2021.

    President Kabila, visiting Zambia and state House hosting him with the state dinner, and is people are refugees in the same country that’s hard to stomach.

    Mr. President your allies breeds fear in some of us.

  16. It is just Feb2018 and somebody is already talking about elections to be held in 2021.
    Zambia, let us be serious for once!!

    Fellow bloggers, are there no matters of serious national attention that need to be addressed by the President???

  17. How cursed is this nation/ country honestly for it to be ruled by such a lunatic president whose ambition is not to uphold the constitution and the reputation of the country but instead to amass wealth for himself and his minions ? Everything he talks about is either purely based on appeasement or self praise and very far away from uplifting the livelihoods of the ordinary Zambians. Come on, you president what problem did you cause to the Miners at KCM and why don’ t you talk about it ? What a President ?

  18. Print the ballots here in Zambia now or neva, when contracts are given to foreigners to print its also cry for rigging, even locally cry rigging.
    Its in the beat interest that those who know how wlections are rigged to guide us as a nation so that we take them seriously and follow the route they want .

    Bravo to this government that wants to cut costs of elections that we ve been having.

  19. Those are rigging tactics which have started earlier. Since when did Zambia had the capacity to do that? They will print pre-marked ballots which will be airlifted the opposition cannot jump on military aircrafts. We refuse bu pompwe Mr Lungu next time not 2021 no no no no!!

    • But upnd failed terribly to find pre-marked ballots in 2016. ECZ allowed all parties to have their agents at all polling staions countrywide. Irene Mambilima famously said, “if there’s rigging, we have rigged together with hh.” ZAMBIANS NOW KNOW YOUR CRY BABY TACTICS, YOU ARE BITTER LOSERS!!!

  20. Mr lungus conscious really troubles him a lot.he is very contradictory in words and in deeds. Lungu can surely assure pipo that he can’t rig an election.honestly. or lungu can be cautioning pipo against tribalism..hehehehehehehe.

  21. Lungu is a hypocrite. He is talking of the dangers of practicing Tribalism while retiring Tongas,Lozis etc from the Civil Service on tribal grounds. Lungu wants to print ballot papers locally so that he can steal ballot papers from the Govt Printers. “U steal where u work”.

  22. What did kagame advise you Mr President on how to win at all cost?
    Why not involve all stakeholders and come up with the best way possible unlike your approach of making pronouncements on the runway to a biased media and crowd that would cheer every statement you make without assessing the pros and cons. This notion of issuing directives on thorny issues that you are not well vested knowledgewise and under the influence of alcohol is what brings distrust form stakeholders.

  23. I am surprised print out side its a problem print at home it’s a problem, what is your real problem. About ballot papers?

  24. There are certain things that we should be able to carry out on our on by now. We have had so many bye elections and where have we been having the ballot papers printed? My opinion is that we are able but the drawback is the forever crying opposition who want to oppose everything. Government printers can you rise to the challenge and prove your worthy. I know of some one with thirty plus years of printing and design experience at the company and am sure given the challenge can do the needful. Try them and set high standards for the impending bye election.

  25. This speech at The airport is demagogic, vapid, intellectually dishonest and just plain Koswe Mumphoto *****ic. If someone delivered this speech from the end of a bar in Kalingalinga, most people who know Lungu’s rigging ways would think that person was an imbecile.

  26. PF: “Yes We Can! UPND: 2-5 – “It can’t!”; 3-7 – “It can’t!” 11-19 – “It can’t!” Build a new hospital – “It can’t!” Build a new mortury for all Under Fives – “It can’t!” Party of It can’ts! Stuck in Grade One!

  27. This is why Africa lags behind the rest of the world. Even the so called opposition they only look after their own bellies. How long shall we continue to export our hard earned money in the name of the so called appeasing the toothless opposition? It is time we strengthen our own local companies like our neighbour in South Africa have been doing. We can do it. The capacity is their just support your own local industries to create more jobs for the citizens.

    • Kelvin Munde, what are you talking about. Opposition do not make money or after their own bellies when they do not have access to the country’s coffers. Look at Nigeria, they people who would destroy a county are those serving in government exporting billions of dollars like the case of the SA ministers and Zuma working with the GUPTAs and Nigerian ministers stashing money abroad.

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