President Edgar Lungu has informed the African Union (AU) election observer mission that efforts to amend the law on some concerns raised by the opposition political parties in previous elections failed because their Members of Parliament walked out of parliament.
President Lungu explained that electoral reforms that required the cooperation of the opposition political parties have not been successful because they walked out of Parliament in protest when progressive bills were tabled.
He said this when the African Union election observer mission paid a courtesy call on him at the State House today.
“Unless you agree on the basic rules, you cannot achieve consensus,” President Lungu said.
The President has meanwhile expressed concern over some election monitors and observers who allegedly want to influence the outcome of the polls.
He has since urged the mission to extensively engage with all stakeholders to appreciate the background of happenings in the Zambian democratic space.
He cited the brutal Killing of two Patriotic Front members in Kanyama constituency and the destruction of property as his impetus for the deployment of the military to ensure free, fair and peaceful elections.
“I want you to come back as elections observers and not to come back as peacekeepers” he said adding that, “my mandate is to ensure law and order in this country and I will ensure that this is done.”
Leader,Jakaya Kikwete when he paid a courtesy call on him at State
House t
And African Union observer mission delegation leader, Enerst Bai Koroma, commended government for the invitation to monitor the August 12, 2021 polls.
Dr. Koroma, who is also former President of Sierra Leone, informed President Lungu that the observer mission has already deployed delegates to all the ten provinces of Zambia to monitor the general elections.
He disclosed that the mission has carried out some activities prior to the election date.
“The larger part of the delegation arrived in the country on 4th August, and we have been engaging with major stakeholders to assess the preparedness on the election and to get views as well as concerns,” Dr. Koroma stated.
And African Union Commissioner Bankole Adeoye said Zambia is very special to the African Union because it is a beacon of hope and has a legacy of democracy.
Mr. Adeoye told President Lungu that the mission has so far held successful meetings with some electoral stakeholders in Zambia.
“We met the Electoral Commission of Zambia and The Law Association of Zambia in our efforts to ensure Zambia remains a beacon of hope,” he said.
The delegation met President Lungu as part of its stakeholder engagement ahead of the general elections that will be held on Thursday, August 12, 2021.
When are you meeting the opposition?
This man Edgar is an embarrassment and becoming very desperate by the day please do him a favour and relive him in the nation’s interest …he can not understand that Zambia is a democracy
Please LT thats not what he said….please listen to the tape again…..’ I want you to be election observers and monitors and NOT to return here on peace keeping missions on account of people refusing to accept election results”……
So if the opposition wins, you still want to stay in POWER!
So ECL is saying he will not accept the results?
The Opposition crying foul today indeed missed the opportunity to amend the constitution on election reforms. The had a chance to reform ECZ .
They had a chance to make reforms that stop the president and vice president campaigning using state resources . They had the chance to reform the public order act. Lubinda told them after rejecting bill 10……”.You will remember this and it will come to haunt you” Indeed they have remembered it. Do not blame the police ……they are just following the law which you refused to amend.
Mr ECL shows lack of understanding of basic tenets of democracy! The onus is on the one bringing up a bill to convince the house and the population that it has merits and value. Now you bring a bill which none understood, even that no identity minister had a clue. What should people do.
This narrative is geared at painting opposition as difficult.
I watched the video and heard what the President had to say. The observers should be impartial and the fact that they disclosed meeting the opposition first behind closed doors should be a worrying sign. Two people are crying foul in these elections but only one of them is being listened to. The goal posts will shift even further at any signs of victory by one and not the other. These two men are just as stubborn as each other. Wina azalila.
PRISONER – Bill 10 was not about just that…wake up
Ka worst president on earth, nothing to show for it but yellow teeth
Tarino we dont need your satanic comments on our president.afterall you dont even vote
You cannot trust Zambians, the fact some people are not tired of this regime is shocking.
Observers they might not have observed this; we do read;The World Factbook provides reliable information about countries and nations from around the world. The CIA World Factbook is conveniently a few clicks away for immediate use, and we know who is practicing true Democracy and who is getting a hit on the wrist as a mild punishment for putting one’s hands where they shouldn’t be or taking something.
look at what the teenagers are subject too, at camping rallies, How do you go back with clear conscience After seeing that?
#7 @ Mercury
The bill had provisions of being changed on the floor of the house that’s why it goes through stages so UPND want to make it appear the bill was cast in brick and motor it wasn’t. Besides MPs had even the right not to participate in debating the bill in the house but the cult leader locked them at his mansion for fear some may vote with PF. Isn’t that dictatorship? These guys have partly created the environment they have found themselves in and its similar to what they did in 2016 when they decampaigned the bill of rights only to come and demand for the right to be heard. Awe sure!
Meccy – And you are going to fly to Lusaka, Zambia which is on UK covid-19 red list on Thursday cast your vote and come back in Gulf stream. I dont have to i can influence others on other medias
*Meccy – And you are going to fly to Lusaka, Zambia which is on UK covid-19 red list on Thursday cast your vote and come back in your Gulf stream Jet . I dont have to vote i can influence others on other medias
Edgar Chagwa Lungu knows deep down his heart that he has lost to HH he has just putting up a brave face. In fact his deployment of soldiers is
a blessing in disguise as his violet PF cadres will be kept away from polling booths to allow for a smooth conduct o the electoral process. All patriotic Zambians should turn in large numbers to cast their votes,guard your votes from being tempered with. Another 5 year mandate under PF will be hell on earth. No wonder the humble leader has been all incomplete projects before leaving office so that the incoming UPND alliance will have nothing to commission. Those projects are for Zambians not for PF.
There are 7,023,500 registered voters for the August 2021 elections. PF strongholds which include Eastern, Luapula, Copperbelt, Lusaka, Muchinga and Northern provinces accounts for 4,740,862 and UPND’s strongholds which includes Southern, Western, Northwestern and Central provinces accounts for 2,282,500 voters. For HH to win he needs to get 3,511,751 votes. Assuming everyone in his strong holds votes for him, he will require to get 1,229,251 from PF strongholds to carry the day. The other facts we should know is UPND has never won parliamentary seats in the PF strongholds even before PF came on the scene. In the year when there has been no campaigns is that the year one would really think HH will ganner more votes from PF strong holds than before?
There are 7,023,500 registered voters for the August 2021 elections. PF strongholds which include Eastern, Luapula, Copperbelt, Lusaka, Muchinga and Northern provinces accounts for 4,740,862 and UPND’s strongholds which includes Southern, Western, Northwestern and Central provinces accounts for 2,282,500 voters Mind you lusaka its 50%pf.50%upnd then Eastern is no longer strong hold for pf unless Copperbelt muchinga and northern province, lets wait and see game ni 90minutes for the matter of facts in north western we are voting like dundumwezi. wina azalila
Some of these Elections Observers were once presidents in their respective countries. Lungu talks to them as if they don’t know what is expected of them. They are wondering why they are been talked to like that. The observer mission is not only engaging Lungu and HH but with other major stakeholders to assess their preparedness on the election and to get their views as well as concerns.