ECZ promises credible by-elections

THE Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has assured the electorate it will deliver credible elections in the coming Milanzi and Mufumbwe parliamentary by elections.

Speaking in Lusaka yesterday, ECZ public relations manager Cris Akufuna said the commission would conduct a briefing for candidates that had already filed in the names in readiness for the elections.

Mr Akufuna said a briefing for monitors would also be conducted to enlighten them on their role and that copies relating to codes of conduct would be distributed to remind and correct them about their duties.

“Cadres and police officers who go beyond their duties do not mean the commission has failed to perform, the codes of conduct will alert them on the do’s and don’ts so that we have peaceful by-elections,” Mr Akufuna said.

Mr Akufuna said the commission would also conduct a briefing for conflict management committee and that voter educators would be on the ground to sensitise voters on the dangers of conflicts during elections.

He said some observers during election come with hidden agenda to blemish the good image of the commission and that it was not easy to deal with them because they added credibility to their work.
“Observers are like our witnesses, we cannot do away with them.

Mr Akufuna said accusations of the commission being partisan were mere perceptions and that the commission had performed its duties effectively and independently despite criticism from stakeholders like some political parties.

“As a commission, we involve political parties during our discussions, they are aware of the mandate of the commission which was stated by the Zambian law to propose names of candidates, appointment of members of the commission by the president. I am very sure that criticism comes as a result of those laws,” he said.

And Mr Akufuna said the continuous voters registration (CVR) exercise would start in June this year, and that the commission had met with members of Parliament including other stakeholders like the media and civil society to brief them on the exercise.

The commission would sensitise voters on the CVR a month before and that the communication techniques would be through radio stations in all districts, music, drama, and that voters education facilitators would conduct door to door campaign.

[Times of Zambia]