The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) says it has recorded 1, 598,426 voters in the just ended phase two of the ongoing voter registration exercise bringing the total number of registered voters to 2, 704,426.
ECZ Chief Electoral Officer, Kryticous Nshindano said the increase represents a 44 percent rise due to the measures the electoral body has put in place.
Mr. Nshindano said the Commission expects to see an exponential increase in the number of registered voters that will be captured in the remaining two phases.
He attributed the expected high numbers to the increased staffing levels and registration kits at the various registration centers across the country.
Addressing journalists at a media briefing at ECZ in Lusaka today, Mr. Nshindano cautioned the general public not to pay attention to figures being circulated on social media as they are misleading.
He pointed out that currently, it is not possible to accurately give voter registration figures according to regions because people are registering from anywhere in the country but with their preferred voting localities.
Mr. Nshindano maintained that ECZ is the only recognized authority to give credible statistics and data relating to voter registration and other electoral activities.
He apologized to the general public for the registration kits that had shut down all over the country affecting the ongoing voter registration process as some ECZ registration officers failed to log in.
“Allow me to also apologise for the inconvenience experienced yesterday in selected centers across the country due to the automatic log out feature on the kits. Some of our officers were unable to log into the system hence delaying the commencement time,” explained Mr Nshindano.
He said the registration kits logged out on November 26 as they were preset to do that on that date as the end date of the voter registration before the postponement and could not be overridden until the expiry.
Mr Nshindano stressed that the shutdown of the registration kits is a security measure to stop anyone from manipulating the kits once the registration of voters ends.
He stated that the registration kits will shut down on December 12, 2020 to signal the end of the voter registration exercise and that no one will be able to log in and temper with the kits in as far as trying to register more voters after the stipulated end date of December 12.
Mr Nshindano stated that the electoral body has no plans to extend the ongoing voter registration exercise and remained hopeful that the projected voters will be captured.
“We have no intentions on our part as the Commission to extend the period for registration of voters. That decision will be reviewed when the voter registration is done,” said Mr Nshindano.
He said extending the registration period may affect other electoral processes such as publication, verification, certification of the voters register which needs to be used during the nominations for the various elective positions set for the 2021 general elections.
Mr Nshindano admitted that the turnout for voter registration has been overwhelming and commended the general public for their patience and cooperation.
He urged people to continue going to various voter registration centers across the country and get registered in order to participate in the 2021 general elections.
Mr Nshindano cautioned the general public against double registration stating that the electoral body has put in place mechanisms that detect multiple registration.
He disclosed that all civic centers across the country have been designated as 24 hour voter registration centers, with Lusaka having nine of such centers.
Mr Nshindano assured the general public of adequate security at voter registration centers and that the police were on standby to quell any violent occurrences.
Mr Nshindano said ECZ is aware of various political parties especially the ruling PF and opposition UPND ferrying cadres and people to register as voters.
He said the electoral body has engaged both parties to ensure that the transporting cadres and other people to register does not affect people who are already queued up at the various registration centers.
Mr Nshindano disclosed that government has to date released about K470 million towards the Commission’s budget of K672 million for the ongoing voter registration exercise.
He assured the general public and stakeholders that the voter registration card being issued has higher security features compared to the 2016 voter’s card.
Mr Nshindano announced that voter registration for inmates across the country will be conducted in the fourth phase during the week ending December 12, 2020.
He urged the general public to ensure that they observe Ministry of Health guidelines on the COVID-19 pandemic so as not to spread the pandemic.
Extend by at least a week imwe, you closed some registry points for 2 day s ,your machines are going at a snails pace n not forgetting the heavy rains …do the right thing stifuna malilisho.
Are you just unable to extend the registration period or are your hands tied because of password issues? It’s better you begin to engage the Chinese on that now. A national election is a giant responsibility that requires you to accommodate all stakeholders. It’s not too late to do the correct thing
30 days is illegal though
Rules are rules. When is this going to end if we continue extending. We will continue extending until election day. There is reason for deadlines. After all even if ecz extend or not, the winner is already known(pf). Why waste time extending to please an insecure perennial loser like upnd.
Fool
2.7 is just slightly more than what is supposed to be captured in a week if target is 9 million in 4 weeks. So this is dismal and just start preparing for an extension to year end. You had at least 4 yrs to prepare, so spare us your shallow excuses.
Pf is possessed and it’s agents are also possessed
Extend ,Zambia is a Christian nation , missed days should be added
Its hh aka gumu gumu asking for extension
The next election one will cry like Trump the trumpet!
.
He will refuse to concead defeat and they will scamper around looking for holes to hide.
PF must go!
Common sense says at the current rate you can’t reach 9 million project!! I’m unless they intend to manufacture some numbers!!!
So ECZ has a new mandate added to it’s portfolio of registering as few as possible voters and conduct elections for the same few? Chili and Shindano will be left alone to shoulder the blame. There master will run away and blame them. If the are intelligent enough they can see that Lungu has already started shifting blame on them whenever he faces the stakeholders. STOP the nonsense. What have you been doing all along. You won’t manage to steal another election you *****s!
Seer 1 advised Zambians on what to do when such things start happening. Why should the system not give regional voter numbers, rmthen how are you monitoring the registration. I smell a rat here.
Less than a third of the target and the ECZ is happy. That was the plan from the very beginning: to defranchise the majority of people.
More than half a century after independence, you can’t handle a simple voter registration, a job fit for pupils on holiday to make pocket money.
There is no need for Inshindama to state that there will no need to extend the registration period. His projected to capture 9million voters yet two weeks to conclusion not even half of the number has been captured. He should not be proud for nothing, there is need to extend for another 60 days if the projected target of 9 million voters is to be achieved. The resources are not coming from individual pockets but the national treasury. This is a sign that incompentence has eaten in every sector of Zambia. What have the many experts employed at ECZ been doing all along? They knew very well the importance of general elections but decided to ignore .
You actually make it appear so easy along with your presentation however I to find this topic to be really something which I believe I would never understand. It seems too complex and extremely large for me. I’m looking forward on your subsequent put up, I will try to get the dangle of it!
IT’S NOT YOUR MOTHER’S FARM, ELYO TECHALO CHAKWANOKO. YOU WILL EXTEND WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OT NOT.
Whether you extend until August 2021upnd will still lose. As we have said to ecz, please give these cry babies whatever they want so that come election results day they have no excuse for losing
So every fool above does not know that ECZ will not tell you Zambians that there will be an extension for fear of your laxity last minute behavior?
Then it will happen that all 2.7M voted for ECL..this shit makes me feel katwishi mweh..ahh!
3 hours plus,just for one person to go and get a voters card then you are saying you are not going to extend? Maybe you also need to be taught like the way the bahati MP was taught.
Kaizer, are you ready to leave office next year??????
When God say yes nobody can say no. God loves our country Zambia and all the obedient people of it.
Nshindano will be remembered as the wast to ever handle voter registration in Zambia ever we won’t forget.
THIS KZ HYNEA WATCH AT THIS.HE WILL LEAVE TO REGRET.THIS TIME HE HAS EVEN STOPPED FREQUENTING CHICAGOS CZ HE IS IN FEAR OF HIS OWN SHADOWS.EVEN WHERE I REGISTERED PEOPLE WERE SAYING LET PF GO WE BRING IN A GROUP OF SERIOUS PEOPLE NOT PLAYBOYS.IWE MWANKOLE KZ U WILL CRY.BOSS,U JUST HAVE TO EXTENDED. WE DON’T WANT PF CZ IT HAS DONE ALOT OF MISERIES HERE IN ZAMBIA.
But why defranchise others…?
We all want to voice our voices. from a register of 6 million you only manage to capture 2 million kwangala uko ba Zulu
Registering people is not about to win or loss.
The Government of the Republic of Zambia since 1964 operates with laws and not outside our laws as it was in 2016 unfortunately where G12 form were manipulated by people with fascist IDs and the death of a retaining Officer in Kanyama is still fresh in our minds because of the dirt tactics some people did in 2016. Like burying votes at the grave yard country mem and women and buying Parliamentary winners!
The law of Zambia provide that anyone who is 18 years and above is eligible to vote. Therefore, we register voters for our easy calculations. It is not like some stolen political party were people who were not even members put up their arms to vote for their Party President against their constitution which only allow secret ballot.
You just have to extend the deadline if
People will still registering
No rest not until 2021 that’s your job