Akufuna(r) and United Nation Development Program Media and
Communication Specialist Sylvia Namuju(l) during a press briefing at
the Electoral Commission of Zambia offices in Lusaka
THE unruly conduct of UPND cadres who impounded and damaged Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) vehicles has shocked observers who have called on the police to act decisively to root out this conduct that has characterized the party.
ECZ Public Relations Manager Chris Akufuna confirmed that the Commission had informed all the parties including the UPND that 8 brand new vehicles were being imported to help service the 2016 elections.
The Commission had gone further to ask police to accompany the trucks and it was therefore baffling that the UPND in Sesheke and later in Livingstone hijacked the trucks, completely disregarding the presence of the police.
Mr. Akufuna said the conduct was unacceptable.
He said all political parties were informed about the purchase and transportation of its eight trucks from South Africa which the United Party for National Development (UPND) suspected to have contained pre-marked ballot papers.
And ECZ has reiterated its resolve to prove that it was transparent, credible and preforming its duty according to the provisions of the law despite external pressure from political party players.
Speaking on Millennium Radio yesterday, ECZ public relations manager Cris Akufuna said all the political players were informed about the trucks and had allowed them to inspect the trucks if they had any suspicion.
“But we were surprised that when the trucks reached Livingstone, a horde of UPND cadres demanded that they be searched despite the vehicle having been inspected and cleared at Katima Mulilo boarder post,” he said.
He said ECZ decided that the trucks be inspected again to clear any suspicion from the cadres but nothing was found.
“When you go towards election-day and especially when ballot papers have been brought in, there is a lot of hype, a lot of suspicion and expectation in terms of what is going on. The commission informed the political parties the way we were going to bring in trucks and these trucks were supposed to come in through Katima Mulilo, which they did and what we expected was cooperation from the political parties.
He noted that there was always suspicion about what the commission was doing in every election especially after the ballot papers came into the country as witnessed in the 2011 and 2015 elections.
He, however, explained that such pressures from political parties only provided an opportunity to the commission to prove itself by operating within the confines of the law.
“We expect criticism in a democracy especially when you talk about growing democracies where we are trying to put our feet on the ground in terms of appreciation of the democracy. The most important thing is even where we get a battering, have we done the right thing? Are we transparent and accountable enough and that is what we want.
“It is an opportunity to prove that we are doing the rightful thing and it’s according to the law and that is what is important,” he said.
we must come to terms with the fact that upnd IS the violent party
…and that PF will win hands down and hh will be retired ….
That being the case charge the cadres with criminal trespass and conduct likely to breach public peace start with the person who led the crowd as a lesson to others.
UPND cadres always refer to people who don’t support them as dumb. On this one, they are the dumber. Guy Scot, the acting Zambian president at the time ECL won the elections is in your camp, why don’t you ask him how he rigged for Lungu so you know where to look?
ECZ should also demand that UPND pays for the damaged trucks. Hecky Hecky No! for the hundredth time come August 11!
He noted that there was always suspicion about what the commission was doing in every election especially after the ballot papers came into …….
The above statement implies this has been a pending issue which should be handled way before the election time. This was the case even when PF was in opposition because at the time ECZ seemed to be bias towards the ruling party then MMD. ECZ in future try to resolve all these matters in good time to improve the trust level of the political cadres as these will not be the last elections.
ZAMBIANS WILL NOT TAKE KINDLY ANY DETECTED RIGGING ATTEMPT, AIMED AT ADVANTAGING LUNGU’S PF PARTY. BETWEEN NOW AND NEXT WEEK THURSDAY, ZAMBIANS WILL BE MORE VIGILANT AND HIGHLY SUSPICIOUS OF ECZ DEALINGS. WE WANT THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE TO BE RESPECTED IN THESE ELECTIONS. IF PEOPLE WANT CHANGE OF GOVERNMENT, SO BE IT.
Where are you oppositions??? You can’t be tossed around by these out-going PF like this.
You are right, there is no credible opposition. They are tossed out even before the elections. UPND is already committing political suicide by its behaviour.
UPND and HH are loser thats why they are behaving like that.
Kaponya (HH) and his idyiots are nothing but perpetual losers.
@Kudos my big brother
Start getting ready for our Victory celebration….
Katondo boys and team boostele invites you and your beautiful family to CBI building in Matero….come let’s retire HH in style…
HH is a pathetic Liar
HH over-promising
HH false hope
August 11 vote PF ( Edgar )
I thank you
People don’t trust ECZ word and that is why the people wanted to make sure that there were no ballots. If ECZ did not get brown envelopes from Lungu, no one would have forced the trucks to be inspected.
Which people speak for the dumb-head upnd zealots!
You are just paranoid people who are even suspicious of their own shadows. Pf will win in a clean manner because we have seen their fruits. On the othe side upnd will loose the elections because we have seen the fruits of violence so kiss these elections bye!!
Bola naikosa. United Pangas for National Destruction (UPND) are losing, come what may. They thought PF Team B was going to help them win this year’s elections, but reality has dawned on them that they are headed for a huge defeat.
Why would trucks coming from South Africa enter Zambia through Katima Mulilo?
To avoid scrutiny?
It’s a border y not?
They were suspicious, rigging this election will cause serious trouble for everyone.. so let us root out any suspension.
Which trouble…you will be writing from the comfort of your home when upnd zealots will be rounded up when ECL is declared winner…AGAIN!
Okay we are rooting out all suspensions hehehe.
No one is going to steal any votes,we have enough votes to retire HH next week….
THAT IS JUST BECAUSE ECZ HAS BEEN CHARACTERIZED BY A LOT OF COMPROMISE BY PF. WHY DO YOU KEEP QUIET WHEN PF IS IN THE WRONG? DRAGGED PRINTING OF BALLOT PAPERS TO MOST EXPENSIVE BIDDER IN DUBAI, SO MANY MURDERS OF UPND MEMBERS BY PF SINCE LAST BUT NO PRESS RELEASES OVER THE SAME, USE OF GOVT. RESOURCES LIKE ZAF CHOPPERS, ZNBC EXCLUSIVELY BY PF NO PRESS RELEASE! REPEATED ANNOUNCEMENTS BY LUNGU THAT HE HAS WON ELECTION ALREADY AND WILL SORT OUT OPPOSITION NO PRESS RELEASE!!!!! COWARD AND PARTISAN ECZ! THESE MISPLACED ANS SELECTED WARNINGS AGAINST OPPOSITION WILL NOT VINDICATE YOU AT THE TIME OF RECKONING SOON!
Speaking out of ignorance, for your own information, the highest bidder was north of $9 million.
@Truth i can see that when the results are announced you will either collapse or commit suicide!!! Tekayanya mune.
BUT THEY SAID THE BALLOT PAPERS WERE BEING FLOWN INTO LUSAKA ? WHY THEY NOW COMING BY ROAD ?
THIS IS VERY VERY SUSPICIOUS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Learn to read naimwe ba Queen…yaba!
Ici cali icikopo muli English
No ballot paper is coming by road. Muzitekanya ba chimbwi
Ubukopo queen yaaba!
No amount blame should stop UPND from continuing with this exercise. He crying like that because he knows its not gona be easy. they always treated opposition concerns with impunity and they have done nothing to stop PF from using public resources or to even end violence or worse still abuse of media. Given these issues, why should opposition trust the commission whch clearly shown it does not respect their interest?
ECZ respects the interests of Zambians and not HH and hopeless UPND party!
Too much talking will not help any one!!!!…. Let us wait for 11th August 2016 and then after we will know who the president will be………………..God knows who will lead zambia after 11th. insults and abusive words will not help better our lives. Stay cool and be blessed
Its not a secret that all ECZ Commissioners are appointed by the President. The current Chairman of ECZ is a first Cousin of RB and RB made Lungu win the state Presidency last 2015. Its not a secret that Lungu restored RB’s Presidential immunity for beneficial interests. The perception that ECZ is conniving with Lungu to rig the 2016 Elections in favour of Lungu has not been erased. ECZ has failed to pacify stakeholders that it is sufficiently independent and professional to deliver to Zambia a free, fair and credible election.ECZ has to earn the respect and confidence of stakeholders thru their actions. ECZ and Concourt have yet to demonstrate to stakeholders that they can act impartially in these elections. Right now ECZ is conniving with PF to rig these elections. ECZ and Concourt…
Kikikiki ala ama politics teyabaiche mukalasabailafye!
There is always a better way to address issues in case of any suspicions. If the law fails, your action may be justified. If such acts are left unchecked, I am afraid there would be unlimited lawlessness empeding on the peaceful flow of electoral processes. We only have one country, stop this nonsense.
Foolish UPND just like Post news paper please for the damaged trucks. How can you even rule the country with this kind of behaviour. Shame on you. (PF)Peaceful Fellows are winning hands down. PF for life.
So what is this nonsense for the so called hh cardes doing!!!!!!! count down hh will go back to his farm & guy Scott as well!!!!! Scott blind follow yeah!!!!!not direction just like never Mumba
Get there cattle for the damages that’s what they do to us when we damage there daughters. Lol
This continues to happen because there is no punitive measure exerted on the offenders. I now agree with HE ECL that the Zambia Police are not doing their job. Maaybe they are sympathising with the UPND. This riotous behaviour must be stopped and the Police have to be vigilante and pluck all the ones that were at the trucks in Livingstone. Once singled out, the offenders must be successfully prosecuted.
BYE BYE HH….Good luck in your future endevours.
Why even stand if you think the election is rigged? Is it uncle VJ admitting that the election can be rigged?
Its just ok to suspect. This is election time where you need to verify everything the ECZ are doing. Even if are to tell us tomorrow there one more truck is coming will go and check what is it is carry, normal. What is not ok about it?
Leadership is from God,y ba upnd in panicking when they expect to win.this is de good elastration that I stand no chance to win at all,Ecl in 2015 was not even in panicking ala mango yobs ngayapya ninshi Nagoya
Let them keep on searching will see if it will make them win. Is it not what they were doing even in 2015, keep on UPND you are doing a great job for all contenders while them are busy campaigning you, you are busy chasing gooses.