The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has assured political parties in the country that it has put in place security measures which will protect all votes cast in the August 12, 2021 presidential and general elections.
ECZ Chief Electoral Officer Patrick Nshindano stated that the commission is alive to concerns raised by political parties and other stakeholders in the past regarding issues of security of votes during an election.
Mr. Nshindano explained that the commission has introduced security features on forms such as the famous GEN 20, which is used to declare winners and record results.
He explained that there are now new security features that will make it difficult for one to reproduce or even photocopy form GEN 20.
He said this in Dubai today during an inspection of completed packaged pellets of printed ballot papers at Al Ghurair Printing Factory in the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E).
The inspection team was led by ECZ Chairperson Justice Esau Chulu.
Mr. Nshindano has meanwhile warned that being found with a GEN 20 before the announcements of results is a crime as it is a security document.
He said this information was important for political parties to know.
Mr. Nshindano said political parties and their agents must acquaint themselves with the way ECZ has packaged ballot papers and other materials contained in the boxes.
The ECZ Chief Electoral Officer has since urged political parties know features of packaged ballot papers and other materials so as not to accuse the commission of things that are not there.
He pointed out that past insinuations and assertions of vote rigging, casting of votes by people not registered and the number of people that voted being more than those that turned up at a polling station should not arise this time.
Mr. Nshindano added that to tackle what is perceived as ghost voters, the commission will provide a voters’ list in addition to the voters’ registers for each particular polling station.
He said political agents at respective polling stations should also be able to note the serial numbers of boxes and verify the contents as they arrive.
He said all these measures have been instituted to ensure the vote is protected so that the commission does not get unnecessary allegations.
Meanwhile, Al Ghurair Printing and Publishing Company is set to dispatch the first completed 40 pellets of ballot papers from Dubai to Zambia by plane.
The first batch is expected to arrive in Lusaka on Wednesday, 28 July, 2021.
A total of 160 pellets containing the ballot papers will be dispatched to Zambia and will be transported in sets of 40 pellets in each consignment.
The transportation process is expected to end by the weekend.
The pellets have been packaged according to constituencies. The number of pellets each constituency will receive vary according to the population size and number of polling stations.
Safeguarding the status quo.
In theory it seems the irregularities and illegalities of 2016 have been addressed. Lets hope Ballot Box stuffing, Pre-marked Ballot Papers, Ghost Polling Stations etc will not arise. TsAt every Polling Station the Gen20 Forms must be signed for by Polling Agents of Political Parties. The Chavulas of this world will not arise this time around we hope. Chulu’s Lundazi debacle and Chatulika Ghost Constituency will not arise. We shall see!
The ECZ Chief Electoral Officer and the Chairman are both in Dubai wonders never cease …can you imagine how much money we as country are spending just flying these people to the Middle East?
Does ECZ have it’s own Helicopters to ferry Ballot papers or as usual they will rely on ZAF aeroplanes?
Electorates expect No stories of premarked ballot papers this tym and someone getting into ECZ servers to manipulate votes
And there should not be a shortage of G20 at all polling stations.
It’s a requirement that the chair and the director elections plus the party reps be present in Dubai for printing… sealing and shipping… for ECZ it’s all budgeted for… elections are expensive… am sure if under 5 where in charge ECZ would be at home to save tax payers money
Ba Tarino, this is budgeted for expenditure. Its not like spending from a dream or expenditure as a result of hallucinations.
Kaluwade – So what do you understand by the definition expenditure…you think they will be flying to Dubai free on your Grandma’s woven mat?
You think money at ECZ merely falls from the sky like rain or ripe mangoes in Western Province..eh????
We thank you so much for protecting the votes and the winning leader ECL. Ensure that the upnd face charges if they cause commotion once results are announced. We are tired of these orangutans
Even the so called cooparate affairs Mgr Patience is there with him,
How do u justify such expenditure coz Slyvia was/is there as well!
‘He pointed out that past insinuations and assertions of vote rigging, casting of votes by people not registered and the number of people that voted being more than those that turned up at a polling station should not arise this time.’
Is this a tacit admission that Chulu added votes in Lundazi?
Nevertheless, the ATTEMPTED rigging has already been done through the registration process, but you will be surprised.
The man is speaking UPND language. is he one of them if i may ask. Protect from what? have we had fake results before?
We have budget for everything but
No budget for debt servicing. That’ should be our next lesson.
The problem is that ECL and PF cannot win free,fair,credible and peaceful Elections in Zambia under the Current conditions. PF will come with other Election Rigging Schemes such as Ballot Boxes stuffing, pre-marked and unstamped Ballot Papers, hacking the ECZ Server etc. Election Riggers like Esau Chulu, KZ,Mumbi Phiri etc are active in this Election. Petitioning Presidential Election Results with a State Captured Concourt is futile. U can trust ECZ,ZPS and Concourt at your own peril. The writing is on the wall.
No, ECZ cannot be trusted with protecting votes. Trust them at your own peril. Protect your own vote. When you cast your vote and go back home to watch TV and leave everything in the hands of the vote counters you will cry again. The party representatives cannot be trusted. They can easily be bought off. Take it upon yourself to protect your own. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying each polling station must be crowded with people protecting their votes but a reasonable number of people should be there till all the votes are counted
@Kaluwade you say this is budgeted for expenditure. Go and look at the cost, we would have bought our own printing machine which could have lasted over 20 years. Now, as usual it’s about tripes, allowances, kick backs and less about free and fair elections. Already serial numbers have been deliberately left out some forms. God knows what the scheme is all about.