The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has said that it has no legal mandate to postpone 2021, General Elections. ECZ Public Relations Manager Margaret Chimanse has said that the General election’s date cannot be altered anyhow as it is constitutionally enshrined.
Ms. Chimanse clarified that the change in the ECZ Elections’ Events Calendar, due to the outbreak of the Coronavirus disease, does not entail the postponement of the 2021 General Elections.
Speaking in an interview with ZNBC News in Lusaka, Ms. Chimanse said the ECZ is yet to announce the new dates for Voters’ Registration pending the 2021 General Elections.
Early this month, ECZ announced that it was reviewing the Roadmap for Elections, and will soon advise Stakeholders and the general public the commencement date for all the electoral processes leading up to the 2021 General Elections and that the Voter Registration Exercise that was scheduled to commence in May will commence on a date to be advised, sparking rumours that ECZ was about to cancel the 2021 elections.
Ms. Chimanse said that despite the outbreak of COVID-19 the Commission will still conduct the Polls for three Local Government By-elections in Nakato and Imalyo Wards of Mongu Town Council in Western Province, and Bulilo Ward of Chilubi Town Council in Northern Province.
She said unlike the Voter Registration Exercise which has been postponed, the three ward by-elections shall be conducted as prescribed by Article 57 (1) of the Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) Act No. 2 of 2016, which provides that “where a vacancy occurs in the office of a Member of Parliament, Mayor, Council Chairperson or Councilor, a by-election shall be held within 90 days of the occurrence of the vacancy.
Ms. Chimanse said in view of this, the Commission will institute administrative measures to guide the conduct of all by-elections to prevent the transmission of Covid-19.
She said measures put in place among others to comply with the Ministry of Health guidelines include adherence to the Public Health Statutory Instrument No. 22 of 2020 which outlines the guidelines and procedures on how to prevent, control and manage the COVID-19.
Mrs Chimanse said other measures include the observance of all Public health procedures and allowing Health Personnel into their buildings such as meeting venues, Nomination Centres, Polling Stations and Totaling Centre, provision of sanitary materials such as hand sanitizers, gloves, masks, soap and water to all polling staff and other officers at polling stations and implementing speedy and efficient voting procedures to enable voters’ walk-in and leave the Polling Stations without delay.
She added that the ECZ will further ensure provision of additional Officers/Ushers, including Health Personnel at meeting venues, Nomination Centres, Polling Stations and Totaling Centre to ensure that people are sanitized and observe hygiene standards in a public place or gathering. This is in addition to ensuring adherence to social distancing guidelines of keeping at least one-meter spacing on the queues for voting on Poll day.
Further, Mrs Chimanse said the Commission is encouraging Voters to leave their Children/babies at home and avoiding carrying them to the meeting venues, Nomination Centre, Polling Stations and Totaling Centre and restricting the number of people attending ECZ Stakeholder-meetings as well as the frequency of the meetings to be held in the District with the By-election.
On other stakeholders, Mrs Chimanse said political Parties, for instance, are discouraged from holding public rallies to avoid the contraction of COVID-19 but are encouraged to use appropriate campaign strategies such as mobile Public Address System, distribution of flyers and other political party materials with minimal or no contact with a crowd.
She said parties should desist from ferrying cadres from one district/ward to the other for campaigns in Districts where by- elections are taking place and are encouraged to observe all the Health guidelines and procedures outlined by the Ministry of Health.
Mrs Chimanse has reiterated that the Commission will work very closely with the Ministry of Health during the by-elections and all Stakeholders participating in the Polls should abide by the Ministry of Health guidelines on the prevention of the spread of the COVID-19.
Ms Chimanse, forget about HH. HH is a sadist and a person who wants his interests. He does not have love for his voters. His interest is just that vote.
The whole world including ECZ is fighting Covid-19 which is more important than holding elections. I have always said ‘if the voters die, who is going to vote for hh’.
Put your efforts Ms. Chimanse in fighting the monster. Elections can wait until this monster is fought. Infact there is no crisis in Zambia to change government.
There are lot of P.F. paid cadres on LT
Henry
Are you an imbecile or a moron? The article does not mention HH, it’s too early to hallucinate. Why the obsession with HH, what are you scared of about HH? For your own information the country is fighting two plagues, Covid-19 and PF, the quicker we find the cure the better.
@ Henry above, what’s you point, you sound like a psychotic case in need of therapy – get help from Chainama mental hospital
Haha I love this. Look at the anger shown towards Henry above. A clear sign that diasporan sadists fit the narrative I have always given about them- from a certain tribe, support a fellow tribesman and claim to only want to return to Zambia if their demigod tribal leader wins elections. Good thing is he will never be president of Zambia. He will be your bally since you all have daddy issues. Back to the article, could it be that upnd are growing cold feet? We have never insinuated delaying elections. In fact even if we held them today, we will still win. I have won elections for my party through hard grass roots work and I can tell you that as things stand upnd will be obliterated in next elections. EC LUNGU will have 95 percent vote share while rest shared among the losing opposition…
KZ
Tell lungu we have not forgotten about the gassing of our people , more than 50 innocent civilians were lynched and burned in our towns because of a direct result of your gassing our citizens all that just to ban UPND …………
Good spaka and your fellow diasporan are now coming out in open as upnd supporters. This was my aim all along. I knew that your criticism of our president were not genuine but rather based on your tribal and political inclinations. You Useless tribalist swine
It is this year’s events that have been postponed to next year. So what’s the matter with next year’s elections?
KZ,U THINK U ARE THE ONLY ONE WHO VOTE? THESE PEOPLE INSTED OF FOCUSING ON COVID 19 THWEY ARE BUSY CAMPAIGNING. IT MEANS THAT THE PRODUCT IS BEING FORCED ON PEOPLE. KZ,IMMEDIATELY BALLY WINS FIND REFUGEE SOMEWHERE ELSE CZ ZAMBIA WILL BE BITTER PILL TO SWALLOW FOR U.HENRY U ARE ANOTHER MORON LIKE KZ.KZ,WHEN U WILL BE OUT OF POWER U WON’T HAVE MIMBULU WHO U PAY TO BEAT PEOPLE WHO OPPOSE U AND THE LAW WILL MAKE YOUR UGLINESS STRAIGHT. AND THE WHORES U SCREW WILL ALL RAN AWAY.
We are fighting two pandemics in Zambia :
1.PF pandemic, PF are the ones proposing to defer the elections and causing violence just trying to justify the postponement of elections.
2. The real covid-19 which is being mismanaged by dimwits and foe sure Zambia must brace itself as we enter extreme cold months of June and July dust month.
And with the above gentleman called Henry, these are the PF guys who6arr trying to cause pain and anger to rhe Zambian people. HH is a thorn in their flesh and I’m these typical cadres when they hear his voice in radio station, they go and attack innocent journalists. They’re fighting an invisible enemy whom rhey hear but can’t see.
I stand with upright majority that PF must go!
@Henry I don’t see where it is written HH in the article. It is in your mind where there is a never ending war of fear, hallucination and lack of love for a fellow person like you who is simply seeking public office like ANY other Zambian citizen can.
Don’t move around with such hate in your heart MY DEAR…it is eating you slowly until one day you collapse.
The ECZ is quite clear in their outline and we have heard, but only for the likes of Henry to spoil the soup!!! Are you marrying ECZ with HH?
Mumbo Phiri and the other colleagues, you can call me anything but remember that the country is not in a crisis and this is not the right time to campaign and talk politics.
The hate for ECL and PF will not take you anywhere. Julius Malema does not like Ramaphosa but they stood on the same platform and shared ideas to fight covid-19.
For your information the government of South Africa is receiving support from everyone including the opposition. But here in Zambia upnd is just talking about PF stealing and you cannot even substantiate.
Zambians will judge HH and the UPND in the fight against covid-19. KZ my man what’s your comment!!!
You have not answered where the article talks about HH. Answer that then we may reason with you. why are you hallucinating. Is HH the only opposition leader in Zambia. It is on Record that UPND donated materials for COVID19 in Zambia.
Let’s wait and see how this delimitation exercise will go, new constituencies will mostly be in PF so called strongholds.
Delimitation exercise is nothing new, the MMD tried to do it too and wanted to delimit provinces were they were strong.
Also, the ECZ spokesman says that people can campaign with minimal or no public contact by way of PA system, flyers and everything else but falls short of saying radio or TV.
We leave it at that.
parking rumours that ECZ was about to cancel the 2021 elections.
….
why waste space on rumours, pa Zed che!
Cancel. 1). Constitution also promotes the preserving of human life in Zambia as does Human Rights. 2). Money for elections to be diverted to the fight of covid19. 3). There will be a spike in new infection from the amassing of so many people min lines around polling stations.
Get real Zambia and stop playing with covid19 dangers.
The mandate of ECZ is to conduct election every after 5years!!! Hence, it has no mandate to postpone elections, we are a democratic nation!!
Ala webo Henry efyo balekwebela that you are hallucinating. Who told you that Malema does not like Ramaphosa?
4). HOW ARE CANDIDATES GOING TO CAMPAIGN WITH COVID19? Can’t have large gatherings of more than 50 people.
@KZ stop insulting well meaning citizens. Insults will not insulate you as public enemy of Zambia. You or impostor, Zambians will never forget, you have harassed, beaten, maimed, humiliated, kidnapped, fired guns and shot Zambians and dehumanised them. Police should have arrested you for your widely known criminalities. Zambians deserve justice and time is coming to get it. PF regime hasn’t the capacity to prosecute any case of corruption in Zambia, Hence, your boasting that you made Lungu win elections. so you hold president Lungu at ransom for your crimes. However, cleansing yourself on this site will not wash up, records, living witnesses exist and will face
Ba Spaka other people have not also forgotten how sister Chanda was murdered in some region and how their relatives were beaten and speared in Namwala after 2016 elections. Careful!!