The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) says there can only be free, fair and credible elections when the general public, the electorates and the political parties, who are canvassing for votes in the electoral process, come together to promote peace.
ECZ Public Relations Manager, Margaret Chimanse, said there is need for tolerance especially amongst the political parties if the elections are to be held in a free and fair environment.
Speaking this morning during the Public Forum held in Kabwe at the Boma Conference Hall, Mrs. Chimanse said the recent elections held in Chilanga district of Lusaka Province was an indication that violence is coming through in some parts of the country.
She said it is for this reason that ECZ has started holding public forums as a way of sincerely talking to the electorates so as to solicit their participation, enhance stakeholder confidence and discuss the electoral process as well as correct the misinformation and perceptions that the general public may have about the Commission.
She added that the commission also wants to improve its internal processes by getting feedback and advice from the stakeholders in order for it to serve them in an effective and efficient manner.
And Mrs. Chimanse also noted that the public forum is scheduled to respond to the recommendations of the 2016-2021 ECZ strategic Plan,, the Communication Strategy and the P.R Department Election Review report, which encourage engagement of the public as key stakeholders in the electoral process.
She added that the main aim of the forum is to allow the Commission an opportunity to openly engage with various stakeholders and draw knowledge from one another on matters that surround the electoral process.
She also stated that the electoral process encompasses different phases apart from voting day including delimitation, voter registration, nomination, dispute resolution, voter education, polling day, results management and others.
The Public Relations Manager said the Commission also takes into consideration lessons learnt between elections in order to continuously improve its business and workflow processes which include internal reviews and observer mission recommendations.
She further emphasized that the Commission never lies dormant during the 5 year period of a particular regime because it has to continuously plan for other processes pertaining to elections in the country.
Meanwhile, the ECZ spokesperson has further noted that the reviews of the 2016 General Elections have fed into the planning process for the 2021 General Elections and some of these include converting polling streams to polling stations in order to increase the speed of results transmission.
She said there is also an aspect of the analysis and review of the current electoral laws vis-Ã -vis the Constitution as well as the construction of ramps at polling stations for ease of accessibility for persons with disability, among others.
She reiterated that ECZ remains open for any suggestions or clarifications that the stakeholders may have in ensuring that there is enhanced ownership of the electoral process even as it maintains its role of being a referee.
Mrs. Chimanse further said it is the right of every Zambian to vote in an election and as thus, every eligible citizen can contribute towards the governance of the country as governance delves into accessing social services apart from mechanisms with regards to decision-making.
Apart from Central Provinces, ECZ has conducted public forums in eight other provinces such as Luapula, North-western, Copperbelt and Western Provinces, among others.
And various stakeholders in Kabwe have welcomed the idea by the ECZ to engage the electorates as well as political parties in Kabwe on matter regarding the electoral process.
Patriotic Front Information and Publicity Secretary, Sam Lupupa, said the engagement of the general public in matters relating to the electoral process is a well thought-through idea that will provide public dialogue among the electorates.
Mr. Lupupa said the idea will equally provide a productive platform for voter education where the public can interact with the Commission and ask questions or provide feedback and advice on the operations of the Commission.
He thanked ECZ for coming up with such an initiative that will help the public to be acquainted with the Commission and its operationalisation,
And UPND Representative, Paul Sipopa, has appealed to ECZ to remain impartial in its operations by adhering to the Electoral Code of Conduct which they have generated on their own.
Mr. Sipopa said much of the violence that has been experienced in some parts of the country during the recent by-elections is as a result of the failure by the Commission to respond to the concerns of the opposition political parties who are mostly aggrieved with various issues.
He said, for instance, there have been some nullifications of some Parliamentary seats in the country by the courts of law but that the Commission which has rightly stated in its electoral code of conduct that once an election has been nullified, a fresh election is supposed to be undertaken has not done anything to assist the opposition.
He said this is the main reason why the Zambian people are annoyed and that the matter should be quickly looked into otherwise it may throw the country into flames.
Mr. Sipopa said the Zambian people expect the ECZ to operate and conduct elections in an impartial manner but that this is currently never the case because there is a lot of silence on matters affecting the opposition.
Meanwhile, the Church in Kabwe said it will remain committed to the promotion of peace and unity in the country.
Catholic Diocese of Kabwe Pioneer Secretary, Smart Kasapo, said the church however, regrets the degradation of the country’s peace and unity especially during elections.
Mr. Kasapo said the church is continuously affected by the acts of violence, lawlessness and public disorder that storm the country whenever there is an election.
He recommended that ECZ should play its leading role in the dialogue processes between political parties and ensure that they engage the church and other peace-makers so as to safeguard the peace and harmony that the country has enjoyed over the years.
He said the Church is especially saddened by the loss of lives that have been experienced in some sections of the country as a result of the violence that is being perpetuated by some political parties in the country.
Mr. Kasapo also called on the Police and other Law Enforcement Agencies to come up with stringent laws that will protect and defend the citizens especially the electoral process.
There was violence in Chiengi, Luapula province also where FDD members were on the receiving end but news gatherers did not give it prominence because it is a small rural settlement. If govt institutions really were there to serve all the people, the Chiengi and Chilanga violence would have led to some arrests. But there is no serious c-in-c to ensure that police do their job effectively.
You can’t have fair elections with paramilitary seating in front of commissioner’s table like that.
It is like watching soccer referees wearing military uniforms, kuti mwaiteya bola?
This is all talk, and will not solve the issue. One of the core issues is the process itself that ECZ wants to debate.
Just simplify the election process and make it transparent. Vote counting should be online, get the final results known within a day two maximum.
This one way of improving stakeholders confidence in both the elections and ECZ.
General Kanene how will rural people in my rural village have online services? No connectivity to electricity, no network? Here is what measures have been put in place. Each party representative must be there and count the votes together. Unfortunately some party representative don’t stay until the election is over. So it’s the political party’s fault not ECZ Spare them.
ECZ and the IG should stop acting and do the right thing to stop political violence and ensure credible elections. There are sufficient laws to do this if only ECZ and the IG had a spine.
Clear the air and tell us about the Ugandan who helped to rig the 2016 August elections.
In 1991 there was not violence becsuse Kaunda did not tolerate it. Mwanawasa did not tolerate violence. It is there today because President Lungu tolerates it. Gathering people to talk about violence when the people who make the rules and right the game benefit from the violence is a waste of resources
Chitolo are you sure? In 1991 yes, but not during Levy’s time. This issue of violence came with MMD. May be it has just escalated for obvious reasons. Do you know the reasons? Survival and the bad politicians are taking advantage of this. Unfortunately, it is both opposition and ruling.