Stakeholders have urged the Electoral Commission of Zambia to resolve inconsistencies being experienced in the accreditation of monitors, observers and political party agents.

Center for Constitutionalism and Legal Justice (CCONLEJ) Director Isaac Mwanza said the lack of uniformity across local councils doing the accreditation process is making it difficult for organization to accredit monitors.

And GEARS Initiative Zambia Executive Director McDonald Chipenzi said the many militating factors in the accreditation process have undermined the efficiency and proper coordination of the process by the Commission.

“The inconsistent messages and directives by the Commission at district level is creating unnecessary delays due to misunderstandings on whether monitors/party/candidate agents must physically present themselves before the ECZ official to have their photos taken for the Identities to allow them to access polling stations on election day,” said Chipenzi.

And Mr Mwanza said the misleading requirement by some Councils for applicants to physical present themselves is against the COVID-19 guidelines issued by the Commission as well as the public notice on the accreditation process.

“The public gathering by monitors has the potential to endanger the lives of observers, monitors, and party agents to COVID-19 Virus and is against the established guidelines by ECZ that discourages public gatherings,” he said.

Meanwhile, Good Governance Zambia National Coordinator Rodney Katongo said the different processes of accreditation being followed by different councils will jeopardize the process by civil society organisations to effectively participate in monitoring the August 12 election.

The organisations have since called for extension of the accreditation process by a few more days especially if the Commission can effectively provide uniformity to this process.

Chishimba Kambwili has maintained that Hakainde Hichilema has ethnically poisoned the people of Southern Province to believing that tribalism was the only strategy for the United Party for National Development (UPND leader to be elected president despite his deficiency in leadership qualities.

Speaking at the fourth Patriotic Front (PF) virtual rally at Mulungushi International Conference Centre, Mr Kambwili said that the UPND was a regional political grouping that Mr Hichilema has been unsuccessfully using to ascend to the country’s presidency.

Mr Kambwili cautioned Zambians against ever allowing Mr Hichilema to come close to State power because the opposition leader would allegedly divide the country into the regional grouping. He said the people of Southern Province were not tribal but that the UPND leader had poisoned the Tonga people to believing that regional politics could change the government.

Mr. Kambwili cautioned Zambians against being euphoric in choosing the leadership of the country because there is a real danger that a change of government would reverse the economic and developmental gains the country has achieved.

Mr Kambwili, who was National Democratic Congress (NDC) president, said Mr Hichilema and the UPND wanted to use him as a springboard to get into State House and dump him immediately after. He claimed that the UPND plans to amend the Constitution should Zambians inadvertently vote for Mr Hichilema to introduce a clause that would give power to the president to fire the vice president.

Mr Kambwili also said that UPND have secretly been admitting and envying President Edgar Chagwa Lungu’s successes on his developmental accomplishment, which has forced the opposition party to launch its campaigns based on propaganda and malice and that, as he was in an alliance with the UPND, Mr. Hichilema used to admit that, indeed President Lungu and the Patriotic Front (PF) had delivered development which had made the opposition party campaigns difficult.

“You know, when I was in alliance with the UPND, Mr Hichilema and his senior leaders used to secretly admit that President Lungu had performed to the expectation of Zambians and it had become difficult for the opposition to campaign. If the UPND and its leadership were sincere, they would have openly admitted that the PF has indeed worked and delivered. But they have embarked on a trajectory of cheating Zambians about the cost of living which propaganda has since beaten the dust and become redundant,” Mr Kambwili said.

Mr Kambwili explained that Zambia had in the last few years suffered from a serious power deficit which had led the country to import electricity at high costs which had negatively affected production in all sectors. He said President Lungu had worked tirelessly to resolve the power deficit and that Zambians were no longer subjected to load shedding.

Mr Kambwili stated that Zambia was currently generating about 2800MW of power but that it was surprising that the UPND was still claiming that President Lungu had done nothing for the country.

Meanwhile, former UPND Vice President Dr. Canisious Banda has said that Zambia is a food secure country not only pleasing domestic market but now one of the leading exporters of grain within the continent. Dr. Banda, who is now a Patriotic Front member, said that the country has recorded a bumper harvest and will meet the local demand.

Speaking during the fourth Patriotic Front virtual rally at Mulungushi International Conference Center in Lusaka this afternoon, Dr. Banda said the agriculture sector is performing well under President Lungu and his administration.

“We have a bumper harvest. Tanzanians are buying soya from here. Zambia is now a food secure country, not only have we pleased the domestic market but now we are one of the leading exporters of grain on the continent. Now the Millers Association of Zambia is giving permits, dollars are coming in, the kwacha will strengthen,” he said.

He also observed the need for the prices of goods and services to be reduced following the appreciation of the Kwacha and further noted that Malawians are bringing their grains into Zambia because the price is competitive and attractive.

Dr. Banda also took time to appreciate the PF manifesto saying it is progressive as compared to the one that was produced by the UPND.

“Let me quickly look at the UPND manifesto 2021 to 2026. If you read Number 8, they talk about eradicating Zesco blackouts. I have told you that their manifesto is redundant, it requires revision. Because what they talk about have been delt with accordingly by President Lungu. UPND manifesto is moribund and it should be thrown into a bin or revised,” he added.

The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has suspended United Party for National Development(UPND) from conducting campaigns in Ikelenge in North Western Province for an indefinite time with immediate effect for the continued disregard of the Electoral Code of Conduct and the signed Peace Accord.

In a statement to the media, ECZ the said that UPND will not be allowed to conduct any form of the campaign in the Ikelenge district and urged the Zambia Police not to allow any political activities by the UPND.

Also suspended is Independent Parliamentary Candidate Mr Albert Amukena Mundia in Sioma district in Western Province

Below is the full statement

Suspension of electoral campaigns – Ikelenge and Sioma Districts

The Electoral Commission of Zambia issued a statement on Friday 11th June 2021 noting with serious concern the escalating political violence in selected parts of the country. It further noted that these were mainly attributed to the Patriotic Front (PF) and the United Party for National Development (UPND).

The Commission reminded the political parties and candidates that the Electoral Code of Conduct which their leaders swore an oath to applies to this period of campaigns and must be adhered to without exception.

The Commission further stated that it would not hesitate to invoke the Code of Conduct and suspend indefinitely all manner of campaigns should these violent acts continue.

On 28th June 2021, the Commission lifted the suspension of campaigns in Mpulungu, Namwala, and Nakonde, and later Lusaka for PF and UPND following a suspension that was imposed due to escalating violence in the respective areas.

The Commission indicated that it would be following the activities of political parties and candidates with keen interest and should electoral violence continue, both political parties and candidates risk being suspended.

Sadly, the Commission has observed the continued disregard of the Electoral Code of Conduct and the signed Peace Accords.

Despite the counsel rendered, the vice has continued, and thus far, escalated levels of violence were experienced in the following districts
– Chisamba- Central Province
– Ikelenge – North Western Province
– Lusaka- Lusaka Province
– Mumbwa (Nangoma Constituency) Central Province
– Sioma – Western Province

The Commission has pursuant to Article 229, Sub-article 2 (e) of the Republican Constitution and Subparagraphs 4 (1) (c) (d) (i) and 11 (d) of the Electoral Code of Conduct suspended indefinitely, with immediate effect, subject to review, all manner of political campaigns in the following districts and for respective political party/candidate;

– Ikelenge – United Party for National Development (UPND)
– Sioma – Independent Parliamentary Candidate Mr Albert Amukena Mundia

In this regard, the UPND and Mr Albert Amukena Mundia will not be allowed to conduct any form of the campaign in the said districts. In the same vein, the Zambia Police should not allow any political activities by the affected party and candidate.

The Commission is still reviewing other cases reported in Chisamba, Lusaka, and Mumbwa, and appropriate action will be taken against any perpetrator for any violation of the Electoral Code of Conduct.
The Commission further urges the media to provide fair, accurate, and balanced reporting to all stakeholders in the electoral process and abide by the electoral code of conduct in election reporting.

Royd Katongo
Acting Chief Electoral Officer
For/The Commission
ELECTORAL COMMISSION OF ZAMBIA

United Party for National Development UPND (UPND) national youth chairman, Gilbert Liswaniso, has urged party youths to defend themselves if attacked, but warned UPND youths against provoking their political opponents.

Speaking on the topic ‘Add Your Voice’ radio programme on United Radio Station yesterday in Lusaka, Mr. Liswaniso observed that UPND youths and other party members have been on the receiving end of violent acts perpetrated by the Patriotic Front (PF) militias.

“It is your constitutional right to defend yourselves each time you’re attacked by the PF thuggery militias. In telling you to defend yourselves, I don’t mean that you should be provoking your opponents. The UPND is a peace loving party, and does not tolerate lawlessness,” he said.

Mr. Liswaniso reiterated that the country’s youths had the responsibility of safeguarding their lives and that of their fellow youths against PF aggression and violent behaviour.

He, however advised that much as the Constitution allowed citizens to defend themselves when attacked, it did not imply that the UPND youths should be the aggressors and perpetrators of political violence.

He said the UPND youths should not allow the PF to continue maiming and assaulting them.

He noted that the Police’s failure to arrest known PF criminal elements and hooligans was worrying.

The UPND youth strongman further argued that there was no way PF’s violent activities against opposition political players could be allowed to continue unabated especially at a critical time like this when the country was holding elections.

There has been many incidences where UPND youths have been hacked by panga-welding PF militias without any protection from the police. In most instances, police have sided with the aggressors, the PF, instead of protecting the victim, the UPND.

Forum for Democracy and Development FDD Leader Edith Nawakwi has urged electorates in Luapula province to give President Edgar Chagwa Lungu maximum votes because he has been committed to developing the province.

Mrs Nawakwi said the Luapula has benefited from the massive infrastructure development in form of roads, schools and hospitals which has improved the lives of locals.

She has since appealed to the people not to be cheated by the opposition parties promising them what they cannot deliver.

Mrs Nawakwi said electorates should stick to president Edgar Lungu whose works are visible to everyone.

Mrs Nawakwi urged electorates in the Province to give zero votes to the opposition, adding that President Lungu deserves all the votes.

“President Lungu deserves another term to deliver all the plans he has for the Zambian people,” she said.

She said opposition political parties are only concerned about things benefitting them and not representing the Zambian people.

Mrs Nawakwi said Zambia needs a leader President Edgar Lungu who is committed to preaching peace and unity.