Thursday, March 28, 2024

Caterpillar harvest season hampers voter registration in Muchinga Province

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Caterpillar collection has affected voter registration turn out in some parts of Mphande ward in Nakonde District, Muchinga Province.

A check by ZANIS at Chitamawe and Chinsambwe registration centres revealed that most people are not registering as they are camping in the bush to collect caterpillars.

The two registration centres yesterday recorded few people who had registered, with Chitamawe centre having 19 who managed to register by 15: 00hrs.

The registration officers at the centre were found seated and waiting for people to go for registration.

A worse situation was found at Chinsambwe registration centre were only 10 people had registered by 16:45 hours.

And Voter Education Facilitator, Kelvin Simukonda attributed to the low turnout to residents being preoccupied with caterpillar collection as well as a named church which is prominent in the area that does not take part in voting.

“Most women were out in the bush for caterpillar collection while the men are home looking after the children,” Simukonda said.

He added that some residents complained not having national registration cards despite the mobile NRC issuance exercise having taken place before the commencement of voter registration.

Meanwhile, Turn up in numbers to register – Sichone

Chinsali, November 13, ZANIS — Muchinga Province Minister Malozo Sichone has appealed to the people of Muchinga Province to turn up in large numbers to register as voters.

Mr. Sichone said he is not happy with the current number of people who have so far registered as voters in the province.

Mr. Sichone says reports reaching his office indicate that some people have gone to catch caterpillars instead of going to register as voters.

The Provincial Minister was speaking in Chinsali this morning during a live special radio programme on Delight Kwitonta FM anchored by Harrison Phiri.

The Provincial Minister appealed to all the eligible people to register as voters in large numbers so as to exercise their right of taking part in choosing their leaders during the 2021 general elections.

He said registration officers will be at a particular station for one week only and it is important that in all the areas, people should take note when registration officers will be in their respective areas.

Mr. Sichone also appealed to the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to intensify on publicity so that people know where and when to register as a voter.

He regretted that publicity has been poor so far stressing that there is need to intensity publicity and educate the public on the need to participate in choosing their leaders.

The Provincial Minister further appealed to the civil servants, the clergy and other opinion leaders in communities, to take the lead and encourage people to register as voters.

Permanent Secretary Joyce Nsamba appealed to the people of Muchinga to follow the health protocols and guide lines aimed at halting the further spread of corona virus disease.

Ms.Nsamba said the Ministry of health has warned that there are indications that the country might record an increase in the new cases of COVID-19 beginning next month December hence the need not to drop the guard so as to prevent the further spread of corona virus especially as people register as voters.

And Chinsali District Commissioner Mary Chifuna said her office has stepped up sensitization campaign and encouraging people to register as voters.

And callers who called in during the live radio programme complained that publicity is not adequate and appealed to relevant authorities to intensify publicity in order to increase on the number of people registering as voters.

The ECZ is currently undertaking a countrywide registration of voters to prepare for the 2021 voters register.

ECZ plans to register at least 9 million people ahead of the 2021 General elections.

And Muchinga Province Minister Malozo Sichone says progress has been made on various projects in Chinsali district following the release of K16 million by the Government last month.

Speaking on special live radio programme on Delight Kwitonta FM anchored by Harrison Phiri, Mr. Sichone said progress has been made on the civic center, six and four story provincial administration blocks as well the construction of 30 medium civil servants houses.

Mr. Sichone said the civic center is complete and appealed to the council staff to start preparing to shift to the new civic center building.

“The civic center building which is one of the projects earmarked to be completed using the K16 million released by the Government is now ready for occupation and am now appealing to the council workers to start preparing to go and occupy the new building, ” said Mr. Sichone.

He said that government plans are to finish at least 10 medium civil servants staff houses out of the 30 in the next few weeks.

“Am happy that progress has also been made in completing the construction of the medium cost civil servants houses in Chinsali whose construction started over 6 years ago,” said Mr. Sichone.

9 COMMENTS

  1. People need to eat and they are assured of were the food is coming from. Those people are clever and they are putting their interests first. Why would a normal person go line up for a voters care when the food is running away and potential hunger is looming anyway? Change the strategy otherwise people will not even vote as they have no hope of a better future after all.

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  2. The PF work hard. People northern region won’t vote. Just let people use the old register. This is going to work against you. There is nothing to register for than catching caterpillars. UPND supporters are registering in numbers coz they want change. U can’t come up with new register when people are tired of you. Who wants to be on the line for 10hrs only people who want change. Careful ba PF.I don’t know your advisers coz this is will be total white wash by oppostion if you go with new register.PF members are not motivated to register. Unless you tell all councilors and MPs to camp and tell people to register.Winning elections is now bane.

  3. This is good for opposition kali. PF stronge hold pipo are stil heavesting Caterpillar . God’s time is the best . if PF will get more votes n northern forget.

  4. what is so bad with current voters roll that we used in 2016? if only ecz would have concentrated on registering new voters and old voters only go to prove that tikali moyo.
    IS IT JUST ME WHO HAS NOTICED THAT THE VOTERS CARDS KEEPS GETTING DOWN GRADED IN TERMS OF QUALITY, I REMEMBER NIKUV VOTERS CARDS IN CHILUBA/ MWANAWASA,THEY WERE THICK AND HARD LIKE ATM CARDS IN TERMS OF QUALITY, THEN THE CURRENT ONE, NOW THE NEW CARDS, IS IT US ZAMBIANS DOWNGRADING IN QUALITY, BECAUSE WHEN I LOOK AT OLD PHOTOS OF ZAMBIANS IN THE 60S UPTO EARLY 90S, THEY USED TO PUT ON HIGH QUALITY CLOTHS NOT KAMWALA. INSTEAD OF UPGRADING WE ARE DOWNGRADING.

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  5. I suppose, when you are struggling to put food on the table, and a chance to get the food presents itself, voter registration will not be priority.

  6. Malozo Sichone should actually be happy bcoz they delayed funding to ECZ and have not cried out on the short voter registration period! Now that the effects of their poor decisions have hit their stronghold,they are crying loudly! Just wait and see,when you learn that the majority of registered voters will be in urban areas(now tilted to Opposition) and usual UPND strong holds! Someone will cry!!

  7. mmmm bane so yo mean to tell the country the whole of nothern province is in the bush catching ifinkubala. Bufi. Landeni ko fimbi.

  8. This people should be applauded, they’ve done their maths very well. Instead if spending time queuing for registration, they go for ifinkubala in the bush. I only feel for the Mr MALOZO, this is their strong hold where people are not paying attention for registration, ummmmm i guess BP may rise

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