President Edgar Lungu has declared Friday, August 13, as a public holiday. Secretary to Cabinet Simon Miti said the decision is meant to allow a smooth completion of the electoral process.
Zambians will be casting their votes in a general election on Thursday, August 12, 2021, which is also a public holiday.
According to Article 56 (2) of the Constitution Amendment bill No. 2 of 2016, the day on which a general election is held is a public holiday.
“His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia Mr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu has declared Friday, 13th August 2021, the day after the general elections as a public holiday. This, therefore, means that both Thursday, 12th August 2021 and Friday, 13th August 2021 shall be non-working days,” he said
Dr. Miti however said all institutions that provide essential services should ensure that they put measures in place to avoid disruption of services.
“As the country goes to the polls, the government wishes to appeal to all eligible voters to turn up in numbers on 12th August and exercise their right to vote. Further, as they exercise the right to vote, members of the public are urged to observe the Covid-19 guidelines to prevent the spread of the pandemic,” Dr. Miti said.
Meanwhile, the Prisons care and Counselling Association (PRISCA) Executive Director Godfrey Malembeka has disclosed that inmates in all the correctional facilities are ready to vote for the first time in this week, August 12, general elections.
Dr Malembeka said that the Association has managed to educate and sensitize inmates in various correctional facilities and also distributed ICE materials, radio and television sets as well as newspapers.
He said that the Association is still conducting voter education in the five provinces while five others have been given to 18 civil society organizations.
Dr Malambeka disclosed to ZANIS that funding was received from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as well as other cooperating partners.
“We are targeting 29 correctional centers that are receiving voter education materials, radio and television sets and Personal Protective equipment (PPEs) in supplementing the efforts of the Electoral Commission of Zambia ahead of the elections,” he noted.
Dr Malembeka noted that few political parties have been to the correctional facilities to explain their manifestos.
He said that inmates have the desire to know what political parties have planned for them before they take office next week.
MAY THE LORD SEE US THROUGH
PEOPLE HAVE ALREADYU MADE UP THEIR MINDS
SO PF WHY THE RUSH NOW ?? IT WONT HELP YOU
There are no fireworks in these Chinese shops. Where can I find them? I want to stock in readiness for celebrations. The loser will lose for a 3rd time to the same person but the ConCourt said it isn’t a 3rd term. Next week he’ll be behind bars. I feel sorry for him.
Let this be over so people can move on with their lives….Politics 24/7….,it’s so nauseating…..and still life won’t change for the majority of Zambians….only the few elected officials will start chewing big time
Why should Friday be a holiday? This is not a post-conflict country. We have voted peacefully before. Wht’s different now?
Now we have a 4 day weekend , no productivity , the laziest country on earth watch the civil war start on Monday week, poor Zambia
An indebted poor country declares a public holiday.This is after spending 21 days mourning KK and spending a lot to take his body all around Zambia.This is why we’re getting poorer.
This is the reason why I call this moron LAZY LUNGU as he is an extremely workshy man who has no understanding of how economies work…just last month he declared holiday on KK funeral. He doesn’t understand that when he declares holiday banks are closed
We need clauses in the constitution to prevent all this especially if the president has no understanding of how economies work….you can be declaring holidays with 5 days to go doesnt he understand that they are employers out there who will have to pay full salaries at the end of the month. I hope this is the last holiday this moron will declare …the country can not develop with him at the helm. Do you seriously thing this chap can reduce the national debt? No chance
Now you have a holiday yet there will be civil servants working doing logistical work with ECZ…that will now become an allowance as they are working on holiday. What a dull and irresponsible man Lazy Lungu is…I hope he doesnt serve his third term!!
# 5. Nemwine
You are a sick and narcissist person. The next time you post comments try and go through your past posting on lusakatimes. Because in the past you have clearly called Zambia a post conflict country.
Come the 12th August, you will need anti depression tablets
Could be the easiest part of his Presidency, declaring holidays, failing to sort out the economy
Just last month we had an unproductive one week holiday. Now here comes another 4 days holiday. This is what happens when we have a lazy leader. He encourages laziness throughout the country. Last kicks….
Funny how it’s the people who are not even in the country complaining about the additional holiday. Some of you need to seriously get a life. You have been given an additional day off for your relatives to drop you off at the airport after voting, be grateful otherwise if you are not voting then please give the people who will actually make a difference by voting the benefit of the doubt. These elections are a test of the Zambian character. We are in uncharted territory.
Just declare holiday from voting day till inauguration day.
FutureZed – As usual you dont know whether you are going or coming…there is no consistency in your posts just like your alias, what’s a holiday got to do with knowing the character of a nation, you would be mistaken for thinking this is the first multiparty elections
President Lungu Declares Friday the 13th as a Public Holiday. Does he not know Friday 13th is allegedly the most cursed day of the calendar and when everything is fated to go wrong for PF. Time to say good riddance to Zambia’s laziest president.
The holiday has already been declared. To those who don’t want this holiday, please don’t stay home go for work, treat it as a normal day it is not a forcing matter.
@Tarino Orange stop being an arm chair critic and talking down your country as if you are sitting in heaven. Your flag shows that you are in the UK, now tell me, when holidays are declared for royal weddings or birthdays here in the UK, do you hear people complaining about the economy? This holiday has everything to do with a character of a nation because of the threats we are facing this time round. To you it’s a holiday but to the government the declaration could be a matter of saving lives. Some of you are so obsessed with abusing the president to an extent that you stop thinking straight. Go and vote if you want change instead of being critical all the time.