The Commission of Inquiry into Voting Patterns and Electoral Violence has resumed its public sittings in Serenje district in Central Province to receive oral and written submissions from members of the public.
Commission Chairperson, Munalula Lisimba said the Commission has reached its final phase of its country wide sittings, Central and some parts of Lusaka provinces being the last.
The Commission will there after submit the report to President Edgar Lungu by December 31, 2018.
Justice Lisimba has since called on political parties, being key stakeholders in the exercise, to turn out in large numbers and make their submissions.
And Serenje District Commissioner (DC), Francis Kalipenta who officially opened the public sittings said the district did not record any cases of violence in the 2016 General Elections.
He however, thanked President Lungu for instituting the inquiry which is a noble cause that needs to be supported as it is aimed at fostering peace in the country.
And a former retiree, Ewen Chansa 72, said there were no cases of violence recorded in Serenje district.
Mr. Chansa also submitted that the poor reading culture has caused people not to be knowledgeable of certain issues enshrined in national documents such as the Constitution hence, resort to violence.
He added that Parliamentarians are in the habit of issuing statements that cause injury to other parties or individuals.
Mr. Chansa further submitted that the media also played a role in influencing people to vote the way they did in 2016.
And a retired Head Teacher, Remmy Kaleleka 58, contradicted the earlier petitioner and the District Commissioner who said there was no violence recorded in Serenje district.
He said that although he did not witness the actual violence, he had friends who were victims of violence in the 2016 elections.
He said one of his friends who he visited in hospital was caught up in a fracas of violence that happened between the MMD and the PF in Chipendeshi area.
And Abraham Kalembu 72, submitted that political clashes are often caused by political cadres.
Another petitioner Mwaka Nkandu 32, submitted that some of the reasons why people voted in a certain way in the area was that they felt government has neglected them because of inadequate staff in the civil service i.e. lack of medical staff and teachers.
Meanwhile, Friday Nkandu 48, submitted that some of the party cadres who he described has having ‘huge muscles’ clad in party regalia in military form, intimidated people to turn out to vote as they feared being beaten.
Another petitioner Patrick Muncha 33, a Patriotic Front (PF) Ward Councillor of Mahilo in Muchinga Constituency said the violence in the 2016 elections was partly caused by tribal remarks, name calling and insults.
Mr. Muncha recommended that offenders perpetrating violence should be given stiffer punishment to curb the vice.
On voter registration, he submitted that it should be an ongoing process and must not only be conducted when there are elections.
The Ward Councillor added that, ample time should be given to the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) before elections to conduct voter registration.
More money for the commissioner (sitting allowances and per firms) to go around the country to gather information, which is already known. People have the right to vote for whoever they want. Did you need a commissioner to understand why people in Texas always vote Republican even when they have a better condidate in “Beto”? It’s there “Choice” . All these man-hours wasted would have been put better use like farming than galavanting around the country for a useless activity
You are absolutely right my friend, rural and farming america is usually pro republican ,
Am just wondering after this commission is done with this exercise , are they going to recommend that we start rotational voting, like if i vote pf next time i should vote upnd? I don’t really understand this voting patterns part.
The report should ask ECZ questions on how they allow State House to sneak in Ugandan Nationals in their tallying area.