Suspicion arose during the receipt of the final batch of ballot papers at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport when some private cargo was offloaded from the same Emirates Sky Cargo aircraft carrying the last batch of ballot papers.
Representatives from political parties such as People’s Alliance for Change, Leadership Movement, and United Party for National Party among others, demanded that the private luggage be opened so as to check what was inside.
Few minutes later, Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) officers authorized the opening of the private cargo in the full view of political party stakeholders, Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) officials, journalists and the Zambia police.
It was then discovered that the private cargo contained phone accessories, batteries and motors among other gadgets.
Leadership Movement Media Director Tatila Tatila, who spoke on behalf of the seemingly unhappy stakeholders from political parties, charged that their desire was to have the private consignment be in the custody of ECZ until after August 12, 2021.
“As stakeholders, we remain resolute to know how and why private cargo was packed together with election materials and who authorized the undertaking. We also ask the ECZ to keep the private batch until after voting, that is our wish,” Mr. Tatila stated.
On the other hand, a Clearing Agent for the private cargo in question, Yoram Chanda, clarified that the consignment contained phone accessories and all querries pertaining to how they were found on the plane carrying ballots should be directed to the airliner.
And when asked by Journalist to comment on the matter, ECZ Senior Public Relations Officer Sylvia Bwalya emphasized that what was important was that all stakeholders witnessed the arrival of the final consignment.
On the private cargo, Ms. Bwalya explained that the commission will take up the issue with the airliner to ascertain how the private luggage was found on the plane that was chartered by ECZ to carry election materials.
With election materials for all the 156 constituencies arriving in the country, stakeholders remain optimistic to be part of the verification process tomorrow and then wait for the actual day of voting on August 12, 2021.
Constituencies have arrived at Kenneth Kaunda International in Lusaka.
Meanwhile, Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) Senior Public Relations Officer Sylvia Bwalya has announced that all the ballot papers for the 156 constituencies are now in the country.
Ms. Bwalya declared the commission’s readiness to conduct the poll on August 12, adding that tomorrow Saturday, July 31, all stakeholders are invited to the verification exercise.
She pointed out that all eligible electorates should be ready to cast their votes on the day of elections while observing five golden rules aimed at curbing the further spread of Covid-19.
The ECZ Senior Public Relations Officer hailed all the stakeholders that have worked tirelessly with the commission from the printing process to the storage of ballot papers at Chongwe’s Silverest area.
“This is the final batch of the ballot papers containing papers for 47 constituencies and we now have ballots for 156 constituencies. We would like to thank stakeholders that have been with us in Dubai during the printing, receiving and storage of ballots, we are so sure that we will be together tomorrow during the verification process,” she emphasized.
But wht stuff was it? Who was it addressed to? Wht is Customs &Excise department of ZRA saying? The opposition is just not as good as it should be in Zambia.
FOOLISH MAN EVEN HIDING YOUR NAME, CHARTERED MEANS ONLY ECZ MATERIALS
SHOULD BE LOADED ,SO THAT IS QUESTIONABLE THOUGH NICE THEY CHECKED CONTENTS
2021 and we still print ballot papers overseas….simple printing…simple machinery
@ Nemwine
So you’re also part of the problem you didn’t even read the article just rushing to comment..all the answers you’ve asked are written in the article…” if you want to hide anything from a black man put it in writing”
Dalu dalu dalu opposition parties…. Did they not witness the loading of the ballots Olson?
The opposition should not brink not even for a second because the PF is ready to do anything to retain power. What was that private cargo doing on a special chartered plane by ECZ and who was it addressed to. That man Chanda should be questioned and detained until after elections are over.
It is good to be vigilant but surely after opening and checking the ‘suspicious’ goods the matter should have ended there with any follow up necessary to the air liner.
This is a clear case of one of the ECZ or GRZ officials ‘utilizing’ the opportunity to transport goods for personal business! In relation to the election, this should have no bearing at ALL. Unless someone can correlate phone chargers and welding machines to Elections?
Why are people so jumpy over this election, simply do your job by providing election agents on all polling station ensuring they witness every counted vote before its transmitted period. We do not want to hear excuses of polling stations not being fully represented, that will be your fault!
Did they check the private suitcase of the plane’s captain? They didn’t! Wow! Big mistake! I bet he had a Mars bar in his bag and he should be arrested for that! Give me a bl00dy break!
Look how f00Iish opposition has become in Zambia. Very insecure bab00ns. They know they are losing and are desperate to find a fault to blame their losses on. We were not this petty when we were in opposition. Grow up
How come we are able to mine..which uses more expensive and complicated machines but we can’t print ballot papers…this is simple lithograph….just putting ink on paper and you go to Dubai….and how to chatter those cargo planes….that’s enough money to buy printing machines
Who are these stakeholders..its first time I am hearing such names People’s Alliance for Change, Leadership Movement, and United Party for National Party…these are just briefcase parties.
A cargo plane is like a haulage truck its not going to transport goods from Durban with half a wagon to Lusaka.
My comment is awaiting moderation
This shows what kind of people we have in political circles. Last time they were chasing empty Benz trucks. The ballot that matters is the one in the ballot box. For those of us who import goods regularly we’ll understand because at the moment things get stuck at Dubai for weeks because there are no airlines to uplift them. So somebody could have used his initiative to take advantage of the excess space on that cargo plane. If the PF want to rig an election bringing extra ballot papers or phones and motors will be the most awkward way of doing it. Zambia is short of critical thinkers especially in politics. I’m sure if they found a cat they’d have killed it thinking it was a PF agent. Are these the people some want to govern us?
TAX Inversion case must be investigated in this case!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Zambians just love drama and taking chances mwe. Napamene palibe vuto imwe nikuzandamula. Why include private items in an ECZ charter? Iwe wamene Sylvia kamba bwino.
What sorts of opposition political parties are these..? Desperation at its worst. They’re going to rig when you’re watching. They will rig when you are sleeping.
WHAT ELSE HAS BEEN SMUGGLED IN?
ECZ AND ALL STAKEHOLDERS NEED TO OPEN AND VERIFY EACH BOX.
THE BALLOT QUANTITIES STATED ON THE SHIPPING LABELS MUST MATCH THE PACKAGES INSIDE THE BOXES.
Tarino take a hint and fcuk off from this website
KZ YOU FCUK OFF YOU THE ONLY ONE THATS GETS 99@ THUMBS DOWN SURELY THAT^TELLS YOU SOMETHING
AS LONG AS PF HAS BEEN AROUND SUSPICIION WAS THERE AND WONT GO AWAY TILL YOU ALL VAM00S
AND DONT COME LOOKING FOR A JOB FROM ANYONE ONE HERE LOSER 🙂
Musa – If you want to evade tax I dont think it would be a smart idea to place your contraband in an aircraft carrying ballot papers…but you never know these PF thieves have become so brazened that they think the own the country.
This reminds me of how PF became vigilant about trucks carrying ballot papers, they were striped and searched for anything suspicious because they knew very well that elections could be rigged against them. It is not strange that the opposition even today are increasing suspicious whereas PF have forgotten as usual. It is important to allow transparency at all stages of logistics of ballot papers.
As usual, dismissive comments that take the country backwards. The same dismissive attitude you exhibit over numerous abuses of public funds or brutality. Nothing wrong with questioning why a plane supposed to have only ballot papers had other consignment as well. Why would you call this ‘being jumpy’? It could have something to do with illegality of any kind and that’s a matter of public interest. It beggars belief how some bloggers simply choose to turn a blind eye because of their irrational allegiances.
Yes characteristic of a losing candidate…I remember last elections they were chasing empty Trucks in the Southern Province even holding the drivers hostage….not serious opposition in Zambia..poor finishing and overzealous…..and the interesting part is that the same opposition witnessed when cargo was being loaded and even witnessed the printing process…..anyway HH should just step down from UPND and someone else should take over otherwise even Fred Mmembe stands a better chance of becoming President of Zambia than HH…
Indeed, sata used to intercept innocent truck cargos suspecting ballot papers…
I can see the losing ballot consignment for Bwana Mkubwa candidate Amos Chanda.Thank you in advance Bwana Mkubwa voters.
@PAC for 2021 they could use those phones to remotely mark the ballot papers or to remotely control the voter as he casts his vote kikikikikikiki
The answers are in the video from where the article was written.
Any rigging syndicate can’t put stuffed ballots together with the standard election materials. Those motors, phones, batteries and other unrelated items have nothing to do with elections cheating. ECZ is not mindlessly careless. In 12 days, the real ballot will count and the opposition will go back to the drawing board, if any.
Harold Muna – its laughable that you can trust an Arab company in a dictatorship kingdom…to print your ballot papers.
A lot of people are missing the point here. Firstly, there should not have been any other cargo other than ballot papers. Secondly, the answers provided are inadequate, this is not a case of opposition crying foul. Thirdly, there is no disclosure of who the owner of the cargo is. Fourth, the ECZ woman in usual fashion seems to rubbish and is very dismissive of the questions. Lastly, instead of instituting an inquiry, the private cargo should have been burnt right at the airport to send a strong message. Zambians need to go beyond the mediocrity so prevalent in the country. Above all principles must be upheld.
Indeed anything suspicious has to be intercepted and thoroughly checked. Leave no stone unturned in the quest to stop these people from further rigging. I say ‘further rigging’ because they have already rigged by ensuring that the number of registered voters reduced in the UPND strongholds. We are just waiting to see if this rigging will succeed or fail. They can’t win a free and fair election
I cant wait for PF to go after thunderous failing to deliver resulting into excuse after excuse
Search search do not leave anything to chance ba opposition or indeed just an ordinary upright Zambian. PF is not playing they want to remain in power for as long as possible. Anything suspicious must be stopped and checked be for the opposition or the ruling party. I’m involved in Aviation and logistics, operations so I know what the hell am talking about. Ba PF you will not be able to rig the elections this time around. Abena Zambia bakana pantu ubukopo nabuchilamo sana mu PF.
Search search do not leave anything to chance ba opposition or indeed just an ordinary upright Zambian. PF is not playing they want to remain in power for as long as possible. Anything suspicious must be stopped and checked be for the opposition or the ruling party. I’m involved in Aviation, logistics, and operations so I know what the hell am talking about. Ba PF you will not be able to rig the elections this time around. Abena Zambia bakana pantu ubukopo nabuchilamo sana mu PF.
PF at it again….Madilu system.
THE DOTS FOR PRINT AT A VERY HIGH COST IN DUBAI ARE BECOMING CLEAR.
THE ADDITIONAL CARGO COULD BE DOWN PAYMENT FOR THE RIGGING, TRACK THE DETAILS OF THE OWNER. ALREADY THERE IS AN ELEMENT OF TAX EVASION AND MONEY LAUNDERING.
GIVEN SENSITIVE NATURE OF THE CARGO THE PLANE MUST HAVE BEEN CHARTERED, WHICH MEANS IT WAS FULLY PAID FOR.
The verification process should start at the source and at the final destination, it should be a validation process. What arrived must match and equal what was loaded. Also check the airline’s official movement and ensure it didn’t stop anywhere.
You can conceal stuff underneath so make sure you check and strip to bare bones.
LOCK UP THE PRIVATE CARGO UNTIL AFTER THE ELECTIONS ON 31st AUGUST
ECZ ACT or you want us to get the DEFENCE FORCES to do it for you
Its suspicious but how is the private cargo supposed to affect the ballot?
The private cargo was opened and inspected in full view of the complainant’s and therefore the matter is rested. Somebody tell me how phone batteries will influence the election. I smell someone trying to look for excuses after losing.