Thursday, March 28, 2024

All Eligible Zambians Must Register to Vote in 2021 Elections, Including those Currently Registered-ECZ

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The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has urged all eligible Zambian citizens to register during the 2020 Voter Registration exercise even if one is currently registered.

In a statement clarifying on the eleigibility to vote in 2021 and future elections, ECZ said that those who will not register during the 2020 Voter Registration exercise will not be able to vote in the 2021 General Elections and future elections conducted under the new register of voters.

In a statement released to the media, ECZ said that all eligible Zambian citizens who will register during the 2020 Voter Registration Exercise will qualify to vote in the 2021 General Elections. but said that

The Commission further said that eligible Zambians who will not register will only be eligible to vote in
future elections when the Commission undertakes another voter registration exercise after the 2021 General Elections.

“If you do not register you will not vote in the 2021 General Elections. The current Voters card will not be used in the 2021 general elections, ” the statement concluded.

 Electoral Commission of Zambia Chief Electoral Officer Patrick Nshindano with Electoral Commission of Zambia Chairperson Judge Esau Chulu and Commissioner Dr Emily Sikazwe during the launch of online voter registration at Mulungushi International Conference center.
Electoral Commission of Zambia Chief Electoral Officer Patrick Nshindano with Electoral Commission of Zambia Chairperson Judge Esau Chulu and Commissioner Dr Emily Sikazwe during the launch of online voter registration at Mulungushi International Conference center.

Earlier, (ECZ) launched the online voter pre-registration exercise which is expected to run from September 21 to November 6, 2020. ECZ Board Chairperson Justice Esau Chulu urged eligible citizen to take advantage of the online voter registration which will allow them to submit most of their details online, after which they will be required to physically visit designated registration centres for capture of their biometrics before being issued with a voter’s card.

Justice Chulu said the online pre-registration which commenced yesterday will run up to 6th November 2020 and further emphasized that all those who will not be able to pre-register online will still be catered for during the voter registration which will run from 28th October to 30th November 2020.

Justice Chulu emphasised that those that do not register will not be eligible to vote in the 2021 general election.

And ECZ Chief Electoral Officer Patrick Nshindano explained that the online pre-registration is not a final process but is aimed at enhancing the electoral process. Mr. Nshindano said the voter registration will birth a new register that takes into account various factors. Mr. Nshindano further said the commission has developed guidelines that will ensure there is no spread of covid-19.

And ECZ Commissioner Emily Sikazwe urged civil society organizations and church leaders to educate the public on the need to register. Dr. Sikazwe said the voter registration exercise will not be extended due to time limit and tight schedule running up to the 2021 general election. She also wondered why some political parties and Civil Society Organisations are questioning the ECZ’s move to come up with a new register when it was a recommendation from them.

Meanwhile, ECZ has disclosed that they will soon share guidelines with various stakeholders concerning the voting process and other related procedures for prisoners.

ECZ chief electoral officer Patrick Nshindano says the guidelines will be shared in order to fully understand how the process will be conducted following various concerns on the procedural requirements.

Mr Nshindano was speaking today during the question and answer session when ECZ chairperson Justice Essau Chulu launched the online pre-registration of voters.

Mr Nshindano said the commission is committed to ensure the process to incorporate prisoners to vote in the 2021 general elections is done in a credible manner and said soon all political players will be engaged on the matter.

14 COMMENTS

  1. I have finally given up on Zambia. Unfortunately ECZ is working with PF to rig the 2021 elections. Why should currently registered voters be made to re-register? Anyway, judge Chuulu you are a disappointment to the Zambian democracy. Your time to explain will come.

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  2. Emily Sikazwe just shut up before you open a tin of worms. You’re also supporting this useless exercise…?

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  3. The information is out..do not complain when you not allowed to vote out of sheer ignorance. As for us we have started a sensitisation programme on the ground.

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  4. Esau, Nshindano na Emily are you Zambians? What sort of greed drives you? May the God of Israel strike you were you stand.

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  5. Use your IT efficiently bane! Let those who already have voter’s cards re-confirm their cards with your systems so they do not have to go through the rigmarole of standing in queues to give their details or whatever unnecessary procedures you have. Add to that the new voters so that this increases the registered voters. All voters that have not re-confirmed can be declared dormant and activated through a secure system as and when they appear a few months before voting. Is that too much to ask?

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  6. No one is telling us why they want to do away with current voters register, ECZ doest even want to tell us who requested for new voter’s register. These two came from the civil society, people from the NGO world are very professional , we expected the bestest from them.

  7. Saga rigs again. Why are we all controlled by PF in where voting is concerned? I have not seen something like this in my life time.
    I even admire those who are dying today because they are resting from these PF criminalities.

  8. I fail to understand why Africans have so much hope in democracy. Look at the way TRUMP is behaving in USA. That is why USA who are supposed to be champions of democracy are not interested in it. PF know exactly what they are doing and they know that UPND is either full of cowards or people with skeletons in their closets. E.g Why did GBM rush back to PF. something MUST HAVE HAPPENED….IN THE BACKGROUND…… SO as things stand PF will RIG 2021 and no one will do anything about it because of FEAR… So GGOD LUCK TO THOSE WHO WILL PARTICIPATE IN THIS SHAM OF ELECTIONS… BYE

  9. Trying to be sophisticated for nothing. You will just confuse eligible voters.15 days electronic preregistration and 30 days physical registration. Both these periods are too short for a very slow-moving society like Zambia.Registering in deep agricultural cultivation period,People are still acquiring their NRCs while voter registration has begun.Novices esp.youths will think preregistration is enough while others don’t have bundles.The heat will further discourage those who are already confused.Add to that,registering prisoners and those in diaspora. ECZ.You are not that capable

  10. Hon.Esau Chulu and your friend you must behave,dont repeat what you did in 2016 when you were announcing wrong results,this time we are not goimh to allow that stupidity.we all know that you are working with pf do your job proffessionary otherwise zambia will be too small for you.let the old register stand as it is and just add the new one to the old one or of u want to do away with it give 3moths to register.we only have one zambia amd we must all guard it jealously.

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