The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has attributed the increase in people going to register in the continuous voter registration exercise in Chinsali and Muchinga Province as a whole to continuous sensitisation.
ECZ Corporate Affairs Manager, Patricia Luhanga, said voter education is at the centre of the commission’s operations.
Ms. Luhanga said the commission has therefore solely dedicated a voter education officer at every centre to help with sensitisation in a bid to capture as many people as possible.
She said the continuous voter registration exercise that the commission has embarked on in all the ten provincial centres is progressing on well.
Ms. Luhanga disclosed this in a telephone interview with the Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) in Chinsali today.
She said the voter registration centre in ChinsaIi, which was performing poorly initially, has seen a rise in the number of people going for various services.
She explained that from June 1 to 31st August, 2022, the cumulative total for Chinsali stands at 186 newly registered voters, saying 112 are males and 72 females.
“The reason for us as a commission to introduce the continuous voter registration is to provide and convince those that are turning 18 years and above and those that did not have an opportunity to register as a voter to do so now before the nation goes into an election period,” she said.
Ms. Luhanga said the registration of voters is a constitutional right for every individual, who is eligible to register.
She added that it is the hope of the commission that people will take advantage of and utilise the continuous voter registration programmes that have been taken closer to them.
The ECZ Corporate Affairs Manager has since called on the media to increase the levels of sensitisation on the ongoing voter registration exercise.
Ms. Luhanga said the media is key in this exercise that will see the commission register more people in all the provincial centres.
And some residents in Muchinga province are grateful to government for ensuring that the exercise is continuous.
Toana Munyenyembe of Choshi area, who recently got her voters card for the first time, has described the process as quick and comfortable.
Ms. Munyenyembe said there is less congestion at the centre and has since urged all eligible persons to ensure that they register as voters so that they can participate in any election.
“I am happy that I have registered as a voter and process is fast,” she said.
The story is: only those with voters’ cards will access FISP.
Which voters education naimwe? You are holding them to ransom.
You are demanding voters’ cards for anyone to access farming inputs