Senior Chief Mwamba questions fairness in NRC, voter card rollout

Senior Chief Mwamba questions fairness in NRC, voter card rollout

Senior Chief Mwamba of the Bemba people has accused government of applying a discriminatory approach to the issuance of National Registration Cards and voter cards, saying the exercise was not conducted in a fair or balanced manner across the country. Speaking when a delegation of Members of Parliament paid a courtesy call on him in Northern Province, the traditional leader said that what he witnessed in other regions did not match what occurred in the district under his authority. He explained that national documentation is a matter of constitutional importance, yet certain areas were given significantly more access, more time, and more facilitation than others.

The Bemba chief said that he personally attended several traditional ceremonies in Southern Province, including in Monze and Namwala, where officers from the Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security were issuing NRCs and voter cards at the same event venues. According to him, the officers were positioned openly at those functions, allowing people to obtain documents directly and conveniently. By contrast, he noted that Northern Province did not receive the same treatment. Senior Chief Mwamba said his own people were only given two days for the exercise and were not provided on-site issuance at local ceremonies, which made it difficult for many citizens to participate.

He said this difference became even more visible when people living in other regions began contacting him to confirm whether his area had also been included. One caller from Kalomo wanted to know if Northern Province was also being serviced because in Kalomo, officers were actively issuing both NRCs and voter cards. Senior Chief Mwamba said that for such questions to arise, it clearly meant people had noticed that what was done in one province was not being done uniformly. He said he found it troubling that registration for such critical documentation could be presented as a national programme but implemented unevenly.

The traditional leader said that as custodian of his subjects’ welfare, he had an obligation to speak when processes disadvantage the people he represents. He said he believed that some elected figures hesitate to raise similar concerns because they fear removal from office or party structures. Senior Chief Mwamba stressed that he does not operate under those political constraints and therefore finds it necessary to highlight gaps that affect his community. He added that silence in such matters would amount to neglect of his responsibility to defend the interests of his people.

Turning to the Constitution amendment process, he said the same lack of balance and proper public facilitation had also been visible in the reforms exercise. He described the ongoing submission phase as rushed, poorly communicated, and lacking proper sensitisation. According to Senior Chief Mwamba, many ordinary residents of Northern Province were not informed about how submissions were being collected and therefore could not participate. He said constitutional amendments should never exclude communities and that a process that does not reflect citizens’ views cannot legitimately claim to represent national intent.

Senior Chief Mwamba argued that immediate national priorities lie in addressing the rising cost of living, economic strain, and social pressure facing households, not in accelerating constitutional amendments that communities cannot properly engage with. He said the country is dealing with food insecurity, reduced incomes, and financial volatility, and that these issues occupy far more of the public’s daily reality than legislative changes they have not been adequately exposed to. He said any constitutional amendments must be driven by broad consensus, transparent consultation, and equal access for all provinces.

He further emphasised that equal access to NRCs and voter cards forms the foundation of fair democratic participation because these documents determine who is legally recognised and who can vote. If registration exercises are not uniform, he said, then national participation in elections becomes skewed, and those who are disadvantaged have fewer opportunities to represent their choices at the polls. He urged authorities to correct the imbalance and apply future documentation exercises consistently, regardless of region, district or cultural setting.