The Continental Leadership Research Institute (CLRI) has expressed concern at the recent statement by the Electoral Commission of Zambia over possible restrictions regarding the number of international election observers to be allowed in the country owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a statement issued to the media, CLRI Executive Director, Paul Mundia Hakoola says ECZ should be more consultative when making such important decisions as opposed to making announcements without engaging stakeholders.
Mr. Hakoola says the statement by the electoral body undermines the spirit of transparency which is one of the co-values of ECZ.
“ECZ has been less consultative and the institute has also noted the lapses by commission’s media department to engage stakeholders through robust media programs aimed at explaining the electoral processes and conduct civic education,” which he says is a situation that has caused anxiety among members of the public.
“As an institute, we reaffirm the earlier position to call on the ECZ to be more consultative and learn to build consensus among stakeholders. In view of the above, the we believe that the possible restriction of international observers will undermine and erode the creditability of our electoral process,” he says.
Mr. Hakoola further wonders why ECZ is raising the issue of election observers entering the country when borders have remained open even under the current face of the Covid 19 pandemic.
“The Zambian airspace and borders have been open, meaning different individuals from different parts of the world have been able to visit Zambia without any restrictions. The position by ECZ to restrict international observers doesn’t hold water.
The statement by ECZ undermines the spirit of transparency and accountability in the electoral process,” he said.
ECZ on Monday said the international observers may need to use their local staff to monitor the 2021 elections owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.
ECZ is acting on directives from the Powers that be. With Esau Chulu still Chairman of ECZ the unilateral action is not surprising. ECL is rigging the August 2021 Elections thru ECZ and Concourt. The tool 4 rigging the Election is the Voters Roll. Hence the Authorities don’t want a transparent and credible Voters Roll.It is inevitable that the August 12, 2021 will not only be violent but disputed. ECL is determined to retain Power in August 2021 by Hook or Crook and at all costs. Time will tell.
The PF is scared of the increased election scrutiny in the upcoming 2021 elections.
That nonsense that took place in 2016 will not be allowed to happen again.
1. Missing gen-12 forms
2. More voters casting votes than registered voters at a polling station.
3. PF Cadres taking over the counting of votes. etc.
INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO MONITOR THE ELECTIONS
We know that Europe and other western nations have failed to manage covid with millions of deaths there abroad. We don’t want their so called observers to bring their European variant here. We are in a pandemic for crying out loud. We have many observers based here and organisations that can do that role.
We don’t need international observers.Do African countries go the western countries to observe.Please leave Africans alone
We need to scrutinize some of these NGO’S or donor funded mouth pieces. Some are only funded for political statements. I believe they are supposed to help communities not merely fill up front pages with “statements”. We also need to know who the sponsors are to be able to judge their loyalty.
Leave africa alone don’t bring corona in zambia.
please leave africa alone we dont want you..
I don’t think we would fail without international observers… What about some of the parliamentary by elections, do they come to observe?
We can adequately manage but to avoid issues of these imperialists coming up with lies about our elections we should allow some of them
This makakas do they even allow us to go and monitor their elections???
Bane, where can I find the video in which UPND Kalulushi Candidate Evaristo Mwalilino’s driver revealed how HH and GBM’s Kalulushi Constituency votes where concealed went viral after it was aired on Prime TV.
In the video, Wanna Chiyanga is confessing that his boss Mwalilino was given K21000, K360 000 for 21,966 votes and dropping the election petition respectively.
This is the second indication that 2021 Elections will not be transparent. They don’t want Foreign Observers to see the Election Rigging. The Manipulation of the Voters Roll is the first indicator that the 2021 Elections will be rigged. U can’t have free,fair and credible Elections without a Credible Voters Roll. The biggest problem is that ECL knows he can’t win the 2021 Elections if they are truly free,fair and credible. So he is committed to stealing the 2021 Elections to retain Power. It follows therefore that 2021 Elections will be violent and disputed. The writing is on the wall.
THE MORE OBSERVERS THE BETTER
IN THE NAME OF GOD KZ SEE SENSE
IT IS A FREE SERVICE SO WHY OBJECT
Zambia has enough independent bodies that can monitor the elections. Infact, just like other countries overseas have locked their borders due to Covid, so should Zambia. No international observer’s should be allowed in this time!!!!!!
Zambia still allows foreigners from everywhere coming for business to enter the country provided they have negative tests…why doesn’t this apply to election observers???!! Why quickly say ban instead of quarantine upon arrival and negative tests like others??!!!
We just want their financial help!!??
Tikki go ask them to observe you like a Guinea pig used for vivid vaccine. Here we are fine thanks
You don’t mind tourists coming in by the droves because they are bringing in money and you don’t mind the thousands of foreign businessmen, drivers etc coming by road everyday through the borders from livingstone, chirundu, sesheke, nakonde etc etc because that is more money. But you have a problem with a handful of election observers because those will expose your lies to the outside world.
@KZ Don’t be an a$$hole. His new COVID variant which is more lethal gas originated from South Africa.
ECZ/concourt is corrupt. PF cadres will be conducting all kinds of rigging. We haven’t forgotten 2016 when you were in the forefront helping to rig the elections.
Who hasn’t forgetting that Ugandan chap found in the server room.
Lungu is a dead man walking. This COVID ain’t going away anytime soon. Debt will need to paid sooner than later.
The only thing that work will be sanctions.