The Governance, Elections, Advocacy, Research Services Initiative is disturbed with reports of Electoral Blackmail in Mangango and other areas where by-elections are taking place.
GEARS Initiative Executive Director McDonald Chipenzi said says his Organisation is in receipt of reports of electoral blackmail through accelerated implementation of government projects in areas holding district, constituency and ward bye elections cross the country.
Mr. Chipenzi said GEARS Initiative is in receipt of reports that government has engaged in a very high gear installing satellite village TVs project in Mangango constituency ahead of the parliamentary bye-election there.
He said the move is a clear violation of the law and code and this practice is pure electoral irregularities and electoral blackmail which is outlawed by the electoral process Act and code of Conduct.
Mr. Chipenzi said the satellite village TVs installation project, though good as it may be for information sharing, education and entertainment for the rural populace like the people of Mangango, Lupososhi and others, rolling it out during an election is against the rules of the electoral game.
He has since demanded that the installation of satellite village TVs in Mangango Constituency and other areas holding bye-elections must be halted until the bye- elections are over which is just in less than a month.
Mr. Chipenzi emphasised that being a rural constituencies, districts and wards where these elections are held, installing a satellite TV in each village/ward will be construed to be a way of buying off the electorate ahead of the bye-election to vote for the party in government, thereby creating uneven electoral playfield.
Meanwhile, Mr. Chipenzi said GEARS Initiative is also in receipt of reports that District Commissioners in Mangango and other areas where bye elections are due are involved in partisan political and electoral campaigns when they are civil servants who are not allowed by law to engage in such activities.
He said this practice of tolerating DCs to engage in partisan electoral campaigns by permanent secretaries of respective provinces is not only uncalled for but must be stopped forthwith as it is outlawed by the Constitution and Electoral Process Act.
Mr. Chipenzi said the involvement of the DCs and the installation of satellite Village TV in Mangango and other areas currently in electoral campaigns, if not arrested, are likely to undermine the peace currently prevailing in these districts, constituencies and wards as the day of the bye-election approaches.
He has appealed to the Electoral Commission of Zambia to investigate these allegations or reports and if found true, invoke its powers provided for under the Act and Code by censuring those involved in undermining the credibility of the electoral process in Mangango and other areas holding elections and ECZ’s work.
And Mr. Chipenzi said the Organisation is also in receipt of a report regarding the “roughing” up of former Manyinga PF MP Mr. Danny Chingimbu by residents ahead of a ward bye-election in that district.
He said Mr. Chingimbu is said to have visited the ward during his campaigns for the PF adopted candidate promising them improved life, which they felt insulted because he allegedly failed to improve and provide the services when he served as MP.
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If only upnd was a party with principal PF cannot be doing this, but alas upnd is a useless party the only agenda they have is to take hh to state house. All the mistakes pf is doing upnd only think taking taking hh to state house they don’t see anything else. if only we had a credible opposition party all this cannot be happening but alas upnd is useless only useful in southern province.
McDonald Chipenzi is forever forming NGO after NGO…how can you hear about reports as if its in Australia didn’t your organisation send observers in Mangango or were you waiting for funds from Donors!!
I don’t understand this kind of complaining.
By-elections are good for Zambian. They bring such development and dress up people in colorful clothes.
Is this man an UPND?
Gears. ..is automatic or manual transmission? Is it drive or park?
Macdonald Chipenzi is an extension of the UPND.
neutral
Trust me MC, that’s among the least considerations for a voter in Zambia. Just let it be!
If only upnd was a party with principal PF cannot be doing this, but alas upnd is a useless party the only agenda they have is to take hh to state house. All the mistakes pf is doing upnd only think taking taking hh to state house they don’t see anything else. if only we had a credible opposition party all this cannot be happening but alas upnd is useless only useful in southern province.
Does it make sense that projects must be stopped when there is an election in a given area or constituency? Only an irresponsible government or person can do that. I agree the executive director is an extension of upAndOWN as usual. He left FODEP in a hurry due to his involvement in partisan politics!!
@ROKA, timing of the rollout is the issue. After the elections voters will be abandoned like a used condom. When in fact the money they are using is not their mother’s.
Ukusabaila kwati nindoshi pa kufwa..
So development can stall at the expense of elections, ba Chipenzi we know you are upnd sympathizer so just keep quiet.
Imwe that is just muliokela speaking.
Each time Upnd smell loss they come up with all sorts of allegations. Personally I would want Upnd to retain that seat for the sake of balanced parliamentary representation. But if instead of putting up a vigorous campaign, they resort crying I don’t see them winning.
He is hallucinating as usual like his wamuyayaya boss HH. The installation os Satellite TVs started way before this bye-election came. In fact, this UPND vuvuvelaa is saying that the people of Mangango must remain backwards in terms of development, yashani nomba?
UPND are a let down. They can only campaign for HH vigorously in order for him to go to state house. The rest are left to fight for themselves. In bemba they say “Cilamuntu pa lwakwe” Instead of intensifying campaign for their candidate, they are busy escorting HH to get blessings for presidency from KK. Soon you’ll see how ECL will be dancing for his candidate. Strategy badala! Your MPs are getting fewer by the day.
Electoral laws in zambia are weak or not enforced at all. This is what happens during all by elections but nothing is done about it. Even GRZ vehicles and government officials such as the DC and the PS will be busy campaigning.
Chipenzi says the truth but we are so used to government using its resources for campaigning to the extent that we have stopped noticing. Perhaps it doesn’t even matter because we’ve seen RB using that strategy but he still lost when the time came.
Mcdonald Chipenzi is a UPND cadre hiding behind unknown NGO with no office!!!Am sure he yaps own behalf of UPND from Msisi!!WE KNOW YOU CHIPENZI,SO THE BEST YOU CAN DO IS TO JOIN UPND CAMPAIGN TEAM IN MANGANGO-SIMPLE!!!Believe you me,UPND and all its regional followers would be so happy if PF Govnt stopped implementing projects in Zambia until after 2021.These tribal creatures do not want to see any good project such as roads,schools,hospitals,etc being done in Zambia BECAUSE THEIR ONLY AIM IS TO USHER HH INTO STATE HOUSE and that can only be done once PF fails terribly and Zambia becomes a failed state like Somalia-THIS IS ALL WHAT UPND FOLLOWERS PRAY FOR DAILY!!!Recall how the celebrated the smear campaign against Chinese,donor funds,fuel increament,fall of the kwacha few weeks ago?THAT…