Friday, March 29, 2024

About Choreographed Chaos: A case of Fake NRCs and Presidential Aides

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By Sean Tembo – PeP President

1. At the peak of the mobile issuance exercise of National Registration Cards (NRCs) sometime late last year, they were several videos and pictures that were trending and which depicted NRCs being issued to children as young as 8 years, as well as two or more NRCs issued to one person. In another instance, they were photos of NRCs issued to some people who also had nationality documents from other countries such as Malawi. Of course, I examined these videos and photos with my forensic eye but they all did not appear to be photo-shopped or tempered with. They appeared to be genuine pictures and videos. This would obviously be very troubling to every well-meaning citizen of this Republic, because the obvious conclusion to be drawn from these videos and photos is that the ruling PF and its Government were issuing fake NRCs to ineligible people (under-age and foreigners) in a desperate attempt to manipulate the 2021 general elections.

2. But l found it had to believe. Not hard to believe that the PF would try to manipulate this year’s general elections, no. Of course they would. They are desperate enough to do that and they do not have the moral conscious to prevent them from making such attempts. I found it hard to believe that if the PF wanted to manipulate this year’s general elections, they would employ such methods as issuing NRCs to 8 year olds and foreigners from Malawi. You see, an 8 year old is too much of a child and even if they disguised themselves, it’s very unlikely that they can look like 16 year olds, the eligible age in Zambia. And you must also remember that here in Zambia we do physical voting on elections day, which means that such an 8 year old would have to queue up at a polling station, in front of cameras from all-over the world, and attempt to cast a vote. I doubt that such kids would survive a beating from the other voters on the queue. Such a plan of rigging elections simply cannot work, and whoever would put it together would obviously be a naive person. I found it hard to believe that the PF would be that naive to put in place such a folly plan for rigging the general elections. Again, not that it is beyond them to make such an attempt, of course not. But if they did, they would obviously find a more ingenuous way of doing it, not something as folly as using 8 year olds. Not even 15 year-olds, imagine? But 8 year-olds! Who can be that naive really?

3. The same applies to the folly scheme of issuing NRCs to foreigners so that on elections day, they can come and vote for the chipani. On the face of it, it may appear to be a viable scheme, but when you think about its practicality, you then realize that it’s not that practical after all. You see, you would need a huge convoy of buses to transport these foreigners into Zambia on Election Day. To illustrate my point, an average big bus carries about 70 passengers, so for you to transport just 700 illegal voters into the country, you need 10 big buses. Now, can you imagine the commotion that would arise when a convoy of 10 big buses enters the country on Election Day? And then, all these 700 people would need to be fed somewhere? And remember that gatherings are not allowed on elections day because campaigns end two days earlier. There would just be too much chaos and pandemonium that would be created for just 700 foreigners to enter this country on elections day. Now imagine 10,000 foreigners? Even if they came gradually, much early before Election Day, they would need to be accommodated somewhere. Word would surely go round that there is a group of foreigners staying at such and such location that have fake NRCs and Voter’s Cards and are waiting to vote on Elections Day. They will obviously be pounced upon by the public. So this scheme is simply not practical, and whoever would conceive it would simply be a naive person.

4. But again, my mind kept being bothered by the NRCs that were circulating around. This all reached a crescendo when a Mr Mubita Nawa and a Mr Anthony Bwalya paraded the irregular NRCs on an edition of the Assignment Programme on Muvi TV. As months passed by after that TV program, l kept wondering when we shall get an official response from Government regarding these irregularly issued NRCs which the UPND duo had presented on Muvi TV. And then the Police announced the arrest of the UPND duo and three other officials working in the National Registration Office, including a Provincial Registrar for Luapula Province for alleged theft of 1,500 blank NRC cards. Then everything began to fall in place in my mind.

5. There is no question that from the word go, the United Party for National Development (UPND) and its leader, Mr Hakainde Hichilema together with selected NGOs, have always sought to discredit this years elections by creating an exaggerated picture that they are fraught with fraud and irregularities. So they have been condemning anything and everything without any basis. They arbitrarily condemn ECZ, they condemn individual ECZ employees and demean them, they condemn ECZ commissioners, they condemn the National Registration Office, they condemn anyone and everyone involved in the electoral process. I have never really quite understood their game-plan on this. Because from my standpoint, when you create a public perception that the entire electoral process is already rigged, you actually end up discouraging some voters who might feel that it will be a waste of time to turn up on elections day since the outcome is already predetermined due to a rigged electoral process. And as an opposition political party, you want a high voter turnout. So by discouraging people from voting, you are actually shooting yourselves in the foot. But since it is a UPND strategy, it is not for me to understand. I may probably be missing something.

6. In view of the revelations of the past few days about the 1,500 blank NRCs that were stolen and subsequently forged in order to create a false public perception that the Government is issuing NRCs to ineligible people such as children and foreigners and also issuing some individuals with two or more NRCs, it is my strong suspicion that all this was engineered by the UPND and its leader Mr Hakainde Hichilema. And there is ample circumstantial evidence to this effect. When pictures and and videos of these irregularly issued NRCs were circulating on social media, a significant portion of the public dismissed them as photo-shopped. Realizing this, the UPND needed someone who was brave enough to present these fake NRCs on live national television, so that it can be more convincing to the public than the videos that they had earlier been circulating. And lord behold, Mr Mubita Nawa and Mr Anthony Bwalya possibly offered themselves for this task. Or perhaps they were approached. Whatever the case, when these two gentlemen appeared on the Assignment Programme, they were very convincing. It was evident that they had prepared thoroughly.

7. As months passed after that Muvi TV assignment program, they UPND were possibly convinced that they had pulled off a perfect act. Possibly as a way of rewarding the two actors, the UPND President Mr Hakainde Hichilema proceeded to appoint Mr Mubita Nawa as his Special Assistant for Special Duties (whatever that means, but the appearance of the word “Special” twice in the title appears to be special on its own). He also proceeded to appoint Mr Anthony Bwalya as his Spokesperson, replacing the longstanding Mr Brian Mwiinga. All this is irrefutable circumstantial evidence that the NRCs chaos was choreographed by the UPND. No wonder it did not make sense. No one rigs elections by issuing NRCs to 8 year olds and foreigners. That’s just dumb.

8. From my standpoint as a bonafide citizen of this Republic, l care less about the election strategy that the UPND and its leader, Mr Hakainde Hichilema decide to employ. It is non of my business. But only if it does not undermine the peace and security of this nation, which l happen to love and cherish so much. The moment that the UPND’s or the PF’s election machinations impact on the peace and security of this country, then it becomes my business. And it should also become your business as well, if you are a well-meaning citizen of this Republic. You see, ever since this nation was born, several decades ago, many individuals have aspired to be Republican President. A few succeeded, many failed but the Republic has lived on. No individual politician, no matter how popular they are, has a right to hold the peace and security of this country at ransom. Those practicing a scorched-earth policy in their politics must be held accountable. If the good citizens of this nation want to make Mr Hichilema to be their President on 12th August this year, they shall sure do it. If they don’t then they won’t. But the UPND have no right to sow seeds of discord now by creating a narrative that the entire electoral process is fraudulent whereby if their candidate loses the elections on 12th August then they want the people to be up in arms that the election has been stolen. Such behavior is not responsible behavior and on this particular score, l personally will support the action that Government will take to bring such unscrupulous individuals to book. Zambia is too big and too important to be held to ransom by the political ambitions of one individual.

45 COMMENTS

  1. Sean you must be very dull for a politician, who says people will just walk from Malawi into Zambia have you seen any broader fence, just quit politics and take up KZ’s old job toilet cleaning…. No wonder PF carders clobbered u

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  2. Sean you must be very dull for a politician, who says people will just walk from Malawi into Zambia have you seen any broader fence, just quit politics and take up KZ’s old job toilet cleaning…. No wonder PF carders clobbered u, by the one fake vote is one too many

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  3. Sean Tembo is very naive. 8 years olds and foreigners with NRCs of course will not vote in person. They will vote secretly and their Ballot Papers will be stuffed in the Ballot Boxes. That is what rigging Elections by Ballot Stuffing is all about. Sean Tembo must know that the New Voters Roll has already been manipulated infavour of ECL and PF and against HH and UPND. Sean Tembo must read Nawakwi’s Statement that “she will not rest until HH is arrested b4 August 2021” So that HH is disqualified from standing in the 2021 Elections. Of course Nawakwi is a hired hand to do this ratchet job 4 ECL and PF. Sean Tembo must open his eyes and see ECL and PF rigging the 2021 Elections in broad daylight. Sean Tembo is just another Brief Case Political Leader who is a PF surrogate.

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  4. Seems the opposition alliance is in critical condition in ICU. Sean is right to put the country first, that’s patriotic. He has also refused to hero worship hh unlike Mubita and Anthony who have taken the bullet for their ka small good-what a bunch of i.d.!.0ts.

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  5. Government has rogue elements in all its departments including Medical STORES. Spoilers.
    When we tell you chaps including the writer of this story about the deviousness and snakish behavior of one kleptoh², the evil and his being more evil, evilier if you like, than the devil himself, you brush our convictions off. He has torched and gassed this country before to gain mileage, remember?
    Kleptomaniac Hakhainde Hichilhema is evil. That one who would set this country on fire and free to SA with Mutinta and watch this country disintegrate. You supported the evil in that PACT Sean.

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  6. SET. I appreciate your effort to analyse issues, but I disagree on your point of ferrying foreigners into the country to vote. If that was UPND’s strategy, why not use foreigners already in the country as opposed to ferrying them from outside the country. How many refugees or just foreigners are in the country. Just my thought.

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  7. Sean with his wrongly numbered articles. By-the-way, Sean copied numbering paragraphs from Sinkamba. Both have 11 members in their parties.

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  8. Choreographed Chaos indeed, lets recount shall we?
    1. Student dies in the room at the hands of police – klepth² was involved.
    2. Cadre dies in Kaoma at the hand of a fellow cadre – kleptoh² was involved.
    3. 2 people die when kleptoh² was supposed to appear for questioning.
    4. The country sees support for tribadistic behavior and sodomy – kleptoh² involved.
    5. Gassing of innocent citizens – kleptoh² involved
    6. Land grabbing from the poor
    7. Torching of Markets – the evil created by kleptoh².
    8. Faking of NRCs.
    9. Sesheke Mapatizya like formula.
    Now ain’t this clear to doubting thomases. We call him evil for what he is. This does not include past evils. Is this the way to state house sure? No no no!

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  9. This is so true.UPND is so evil just to send HH to state house to fulfil some Tonga belief that it’s their time to rule Zambia. They will deploy all mean just to take a trialist to state house. We can’t think so low. Let us not stop this behavior ba UPND. Zambia is bigger than HH who became UPND party president through tribalism. I’m surprised this party is growing and cheating people that HH is the best. How can you somebody be the best when he chased the vice presidents of late Anderson Mazoka through tribalism. We know that PF is not doing fine but HH is not the best candidate. He gonna divide this country through tribalism. We saw what happened in 2016 in southern province and part of central province where Non Tongas were beaten by some crazy Tongas that u go to your regions…

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  10. This is so true.UPND is so evil just to send HH to state house to fulfil some Tonga belief that it’s their time to rule Zambia. They will deploy all means just to take a tribalist to state house. We can’t think so low. Let us not stop this behavior ba UPND. Zambia is bigger than HH who became UPND party president through tribalism. I’m surprised,this party is growing and cheating people that HH is the best. How can somebody be the best when he chased the vice presidents of late Anderson Mazoka through tribalism. We know that PF is not doing fine but HH is not the best candidate. He gonna divide this country through tribalism. We saw what happened in 2016 in southern province and some parts of central province where Non Tongas were beaten by some crazy Tongas that u go to your regions.Stop…

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  11. “……To illustrate my point, an average big bus carries about 70 passengers, so for you to transport just 700 illegal voters into the country, …..”

    That’s like saying a bank employee can not steal $5 million because it would take 5 suitcases to carry out of the
    bank …!

    S.tembo is very du.ll , No wonder he was beaten to s pulp on Cairo road…..

    There is what is called ballot stuffing you dum.ass……

    that the is needed is an issued reg card number and a copy of the signature that is on that card. All the more better if the owner of that card can’t be traced for interrogation….

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  12. I am even covering my eyes. Sean balamutuka ba upnd! Mamamama…….
    Guys, you can’t just debate without insulting? We HH wansele but don’t follow everything he does.

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  13. Hichilema is a major sponsor of criminality in this country, he should’ve been arrested in January 2015 when his supporters in Southern province beat and killed non southerners when he lost that by-election. The only person in PF that is desperate to win elections is Edgar because he knows that not only is he not wanted but he’s ineligible as well. The PF can’t rebrand and sell Edgar again, they risk losing elections. Any good candidate can easily wallop Kadansa. So the cause of these tensions is the insistence by Edgar to stand. Only his cohorts believe in him. Mama Inonge can win with a comfortable margin, bena KBF should just wait. Bena Freedom and KZ should just prepare to retire with their boss, there’s nothing they’ve to offer except intimidations and insults. PF is still…

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  14. This S.tembo does not know about electronic manipulation , he is indeed illiterate……

    All they need is a genuine NRC number , Genuine in the sense that the card was issued and has a physical presence.

    Ati …..

    ” for you to transport just 700 illegal voters into the country,….”

    “….which means that such an 8 year old would have to queue up at a polling station….”

    Does this chap know anything about computers ??? Obviously not.

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  15. JUST STUMBLED ON THIS BEAUTIFUL ARTICLE ON ZED DOG
    why is PF lamenting on UPND intra party elections.
    Before Sunday can question our internal processes, some bit of history about the PF would do for them.
    When PF was formed in 2001 by late President Michael Sata (MHSREP), it took the party 10 years before they could hold what they called an intra party elections in 2011 at which basically all positions, from the party President, went unopposed.
    Fast forward to replacing the late President Michael Sata in 2015, PF held one of the most scandalous and sham gatherings in Kabwe, never witnessed in the world.
    We challenge the PF to tell us who elected Mr. Edgar Lungu as party President in Kabwe through the ballot and who did he contest with?
    As far as the country is concerned, Mr. Lungu…

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  16. Ati
    “……To illustrate my point, an average big bus carries about 70 passengers, so for you to transport just 700 illegal voters into the country, you need 10 big buses. Now, can you imagine the commotion that would arise when a convoy of 10 big buses enters the country on Election Day? And then, all these 700 people would need to be fed somewhere?….”

    Ba tembo , if I tell you a bank manager does not need to carry into the bank 4 or 5 suit cases for him to steal $6 million, would you belive that ????

    Wake up….

    we are in the 21st centuary…

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  17. @Aristotle: That convention was under siege by Guy Scott and his agents. It was rigged to work against ECL. If anything, a parallel convention was already in play that wanted to install Miles Sampa as PF head, but Scott’s evil intentions failed. Against all odds and limited resources, the party forged ahead and did what was necessary.

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  18. Lungu took over the presidency we can’t turn the clocks.

    Since the thief has been in power Zambia has regressed, economy is in tatters. A debt if $27 billion. What income revenue do we have to pay this debt off.

    The thief had been amassing wealth by stealing. What was he before becoming president. What wealth did he have.

    When Zambia turns into the next Zimbabwe the PF dum wits will be seeking asylum and fleeing the country not knowing what hit them

  19. It is anyone’s guess that the so called photos and videos of children being issued NRCs were fake. It is the fault of your forensic eye that they did not appear so to you. And by the way what on earth is ‘forensic eye’? Can you believe that any seasoned political party would issue NRCs to children as young as 8 years old who can’t vote?

  20. You are a very senior politician sir. Don’t behave like a novice. Whatever you are saying about NRCs being issued to foreigners, is a serious allegation. Do you have proof to support it? I am sure you have and you will put it in public domain soon. I also know you are not coward like others who just level some allegations and run away.

  21. Sir, there are some baseless allegation which don’t call for official reaction. It is election year and there would be spate of such allegations every day. Government can’t respond to each and every foolish argument. It is not the job of government. It is for the people to take the call and they have, believe me.

  22. In your opinion, UPND is not fit to rule. I agree with you that Hakainde Hichilema has been trying all the tricks of the trade to somehow grab the power. But has been unsuccessful till now. So, isn’t it obvious that he will question the election process, ECZ and everything under the sun? That does not mean people will trust him and won’t turn up to vote! You need to get your facts checked and corrected.

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  23. The moment that the UPND’s or the PF’s election machinations impact on the peace and security of this country, then it becomes my business. And it should also become your business as well, if you are a well-meaning citizen of this Republic. Rightly said. Then you must start questioning every statement, every step by HH, because there are reasons to believe that he is up to something sinister.

  24. This theory of election manipulation has been peddled amply. First it was Dr Nevers Mumba then it was Hakainde Hichilema and not its you. There are only tall talks about it. No one gives the proof. Dr Mumba made some wild allegations and claimed to have concrete evidence but then vanished in thin air. Nothing happened after that. So, will you please stop this?

  25. You seem to be highly confused. Why don’t you take some rest? May be a quiet place on the banks of Zambezi somewhere might help.

  26. Both UPND and PF comments here extremely appalling, usual character and witchcraft assassinations, though I am neutral I think Sean Tembo puts in some ordely arguments as wrong as he may be, but also there is lack of intellectual support for his arguments as well as lack of intellectual rebuttal to his arguments from bloggers. All we get is the same shadow boxing from two tired parties in the name of PF and UPND, but ofcourse PF tired the most

  27. Who told you that the blank NRCs were stolen? Where was it reported? Can you share the link to the news? Or have you also started believing the slave media houses?

  28. Indeed expecting intellectual debate for and against Sean Tembo’s article, alas the usual cheap responses from caders

  29. @ Zambian citizen looking at the state of the economy and the looting that has happened under ECL, do u think guy scotts intentions were evil… You vote for this guy u will be defiantly a country with a currency come first quater of next year

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  30. Watching from the terraces, non partisan and enjoying the drama, but from the look of things on the ground, people have already settled for HH

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  31. @Pensulo, you are right. Social Media it’s straight forward, come 12 August kukaba ifilamba and I think Under will pause for years and appear later to start another cycle of losses.

  32. They thought they were too clever…. And for the provincial registration officer ..that’s the most dull thing she could have ever done… Or maybe she was promised some better job ???

  33. WHAT PEP TALK IS SEEN TEMBO TRYING TO GIVE US. BORDER AREA ARE THE MOST PORUS AS PEOPLE MOVE AT ANY GIVEN TIME 24/30 AS THEY SHARE SAME CULTURE AND ONLY DIVIDED BY THE ARTIFICIAL BORDER CREATED BY COLOINIALISTS. HAS THE HOPELESS FELLOW TRAVELLED SAY FROM IKELENGE TO KAPUTA DISTRICTS TO KNOW THE TRUTH. I HAD SOME RESPECT FOR THIS GENTLEMAN BUT OF LATE HE HAS NO DIRECTION AS OPPOSITION LEADER. IF HE HAS NO STAMINA TO BE AN OPPOSITION LEADER ITS BETTER FOR JIM TO JOIN THE MIGHTY PF AND JOIN THE PROPAGANDA TEAM BEING LEAD BY SUNDAY CHANDA THAN HIDING INTO ANALYSING THINGS WHICH DO NOT MAKE SENSE. WE NEED REAL MEN WHO CAN EITHER BE IN RULING PF AND DEFEND WHY THEY SHOULD CONTINUE BEYOND 2021 OR UPND AND WHAT CHANGES THEY CAN BRING TO ZAMBIA AND HOW THEY ARE GOING TO FIX THE ECONOMY. AT TIMES…

  34. HH and UPND are just a joke….can they tell me, were there no people from Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia and Angola but only from Malawi and Congo DR. These guys must be checked before the plunge this peaceful country into flames.

  35. Mr Bullet Point Tembo, this matter is subjudice. But concerning bringing in foreigners into the country, I would like to jog your short memory to remember what one Wynter Kabimba said . In 2014, Mr Kabimba admitted to smuggling foreigners into the country to participate in the 2011 general elections while he was PF SG. You seem not to understand how a sitting government rigs elections. Those NRC’s and voter’s cards will never be used for voting. They are used to inflate the total number of eligible voters in an area. For example, if there are 2,000 legally eligible voters but you have another 1,000 who are children, the total is 3,000. If 1,000 legals voted for A and another 1,000 legals voted for B, there is no outright winner. So, you draw even 50 from the 1,000 illegals and stuff the…

  36. Nicholas Cheeseman and Brian Klaas
    How to Rig an Election . Yale University Press. Kindle Edition. 2018.
    A must read by all interested in elections.

  37. @Jonny: The state of the Zambian economy, like many commodity-dependent countries is bad. The naira has lost over 200% of its value since oil became worthless. How can Zambia which derives 85% of its export earnings from copper be immune?? And then you speak of looting, can you show us where and who had stashed billions of dollars in hidden accounts?? The euphoria we created when Austin Liato buried K2bn (unrebased) in his backyard died when he was given back that money by the Courts. It’s all political gymnastics by an inept opposition failing to sell alternative policies to the population. Come August, azalila anso kachema….

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