HOME Affairs Minister Hon Stephen Kampyongo has questioned the intelligence and seriousness of the United Party for National Development (UPND) Secretary General Steven Katuka and his party who claim to have written to the European Union and the Electoral Commission of Zambia over the decision to allow Inmates to vote.
Speaking at a media briefing held in Lusaka to give an update on the security situation in the country yesterday, Hon Kampyongo said that it was unfortunate that the entire Secretary-General of a political party can accuse the government of trying to rig elections by allowing inmates to vote.
Hon Kampyongo reiterated that the subject of allowing Inmates to vote was not a decision by the government but by civil society organizations such as PRISCA and others through a constitutional court ruling.
“You all do recall that in 2017, a Mr. Malembeka representing an organization called PRISCA went to the Constitutional Court where it was ruled that correctional service inmates be allowed to vote in future elections, it was not ourselves as the government that went to court and the UPND Secretary-General will do well to work with facts unlike concocting things for political expediency,” Hon Kampyongo said.
The Minister said the Opposition Party Secretary-General Steven Katuka is free to petition the Concourt against the ruling it passed in 2017 in Favor of Mr. Malembeka and his Organization.
“The naivety of the Secretary-General of the UPND is perturbing really that instead of going on the ground to mobilize votes for his party he has instead as usual opted to start crying like a small baby even to a point of going to write to the European Union which is well aware of the origin of this decision to allow inmates formerly known as prisoners to vote” Hon Kampyongo said.
He said it is now becoming absurd that the UPND should always rush to making accusations of vote-rigging even when a normal and routine exercise such as mobile voter registration is conducted.
UPNDEAD is sick.
Kicks of a dying horse.
These negroes need not enter plot one.
They don’t understand our national constitution or electoral laws.
Submit to Bill 10, no! But they are busy running to the ICJ and EU just to get things we can do in our institutions nationally.
You dare not put a stinking uninformed grouping of know nothings to steer the ship.
The same pf will be praying for EU to fwantamo ka funding mu ECZ for elections and also will pray that they declare elections free and fair in their favour, very hypocritical Moabites.
Balitemwa sana ukobola ba UPND. Everydai nkakobwela ba UN, nakaobwela ba EU!
Why appeal to Europeans? Its just a dangerous neo-colonial habit that shows that if they win UPND will sell us back to our colonisers just the way PF and MMD has sold us to the Chinese. Who will liberate Zambia I ask? We are bequeathed with a lame government that has no plans and the most likely successors are equally lame. Awe mwe!
Upnd are Cry Babies.
I personally have no problem with inmates voting, the problem is the Commissioner of Prisons and the govt. telling opposition or other players that they will not be allowed to solicity for votes in these facilities.
You people how many prisoners do we have for you to start worrying about the?. They are not even 0.1 percent of the population
Let vote at your peril if you think you will win.
Remember that there is always two sides of a story.
When you work hard to manipulate the system and expect the system to manipulate you too.
PF must go!
Most inmates are PF including himself yet to be an inmate. Thats why UPND is worried over such manoeuvres to rig elections. Just eave out the prisoners and we shall all be fine.
Disaster!!!!
I laughed when I heard about this from my intelligence analysts. Upnd are very childish quacks. How can anyone put trust in a party that runs to its imperial whlte masters every time they don’t get their way. Good thing is they will never rule because can you imagine a government that seeks answers from Europe. These are the sell outs who would sell Zambia to the gay businesses in Europe
I laughed when I heard about this from my intelligence analysts. Upnd are very childish quacks. How can anyone put trust in a party that runs to its imperial whlte masters every time they don’t get their way. Good thing is they will never rule because can you imagine a government that seeks answers from Europe. These are the sell outs who would sell Zambia to the gay businesses in Europe . Kz
UPND have been sounding tooooooo desperate recently, it’s actually worrying!! The UPND president and his team should know better; that being incarcerated does NOT make anyone any less of a citizen. Prisoners have rights too.
Well-done UPND please close all the loop holes like the way Seer1 advised. If it will mean writing to Heaven just go ahead they rig elections earlier meaning they can do the same even this time. They never told us the person who entered the strong room during elections up to now, We wanted to know why Findlay was flying with ECL on official duties, up to now no answer We wanted to know who the Gasser is after 50 innocent people died up to now no answer. We wanted to know why a jerabo was found at state house eating with ECL up to now no answer. We want to know why Jay Jay PF chairman stormed, beat up police and stole money from them at a Police Headquarters (Zambia FBI HQ) and everything is now quiet. And you think you can trust this KZ and Thorn in the Fresh Group UPND close all the…
Prisoners cannot vote
Austria, Armenia, Bulgaria, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Russia, Hungary, Liechtenstein, UK
Most prisoners can vote
Bulgaria, Cyprus, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Nether- lands, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia
All prisoners can vote
Albania, Bosnia & Herzego- vina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Spain, Sweden,Switzerland,Ukraine
UPeND is just but a bunch of clowns and idyotss! Always running to Europe…milfipuba sana!
The EU who normally send election observers will have at least 1 year to study how the inmates will vote.Remember they were embarrassed in Kenya and Malawi for declaring fraudulent polls free and fair.
The EU learnt their lesson. Zambia will be different.
What is wrong with UPND, do your reserch before writing to the EU, this information is right in front of your nose. Why write to the European Union???? Is UPND a member of the European Union, because Zambia is not? Even writing to the African Union will be wrong
THE PLAYING FIELD WILL NOT BE LEVELED .PF ARE SO DESPERATE WANTING TO RULE FOR EVER
The EU is the single largest financier of our elections. It’s equally absurd for Kampyongo to answer to the UPND so quickly instead of telling us who was gassing the people. Inmates aren’t desperate to have voting rights, it’s the PF that is desperate to disadvantage opponents by about 10,000 votes to Edgar via prisons. Prisoners want conjugal rights desperately not ifyo ifyabupuba.
I stand to be corrected . Zambia is Not a member of the european union as such Not bound by the EU chatter.
Any African country can choose Not to invite EU as election observers in the same way they Do not invite African Union as election observers for European elections.
So to write to EU is somewhat misplaced .
UPND says PF cadres are always let go and no cases are raised against them. They cry that all the time only their cadres are arrested.
Is (HH) normal?
Why cry foul if there are no PF cadres in prison?
Wake up UPND. Bally Matore is a liar.
Who gassed the people? It’s the Piffle that’s desperate to disadvantage its opponents by about 10,000 votes through prisons. Prisoners don’t need voting rights, they want conjugal rights. PF is so cheap. Just leave Govt and face your crimes, the earlier the better
Dull minister…How can it be absurd when the EU supplements Zambia’s budget with EU citizens tax.
I usually support UPND, even though I’m an independent. But writing to the European Union for them to intervene in Zambian affairs is plain foooolish. Africans need to grow up and learn to get away from these colonizers. Why do you believe white people have all your answers? Come on UPND, you can do better. This only makes you look uniformed and ill-prepared. Of course corrupt PF is desperate and they know their time is up. That’s why they’re so desperate they even want the prisoners to vote, so they can boost their vote numbers. Don’t worry. Even if all the prisoners in Zambia voted for PF, corrupt PF will still lose the election next year. UPND and HH, instead concentrate on informing the Zambians about your agenda for the country. People want to hear what your vision, agenda for…
PF is up to no good. They are desperate to remain in power. They are looking for possible loopholes to rig the elections. Everything should be done to stop them. We need free and fair elections for the good of the country.
The reason they are in prison is that they have abrogated their rights to certain freedoms especially such as freedom to movement, association and many more. The inmates aren’t very privy to the current happenings in the country and would not make the right decisions when choosing a leader. There would also be the wrong perception from the inmates thinking the incumbent government more favourably on them if they gave them the vote. We can’t be ignorant all our lives and not make informed decision and know that this is the wrong decision altogether. SHA!!!!
Prisoners can except chicken .meat and other deceiving goods during election time .
They don’t know where the EU money comes from is it not from the same Africa, Africans must wake up to see what is going on behind themselves who takes resources from Africa and brings it back and calls it donations.
The minerals in Africa is wealth of this whole world however we move with eyes closed and minds darkened to see the wealth right under our continent.
Who shall deliver us from this evil that has rocked our rich continent.
Where is the long-teeth rat? Havent seen/heard of it in a while. Is it taking cover because of the Rebel finanancing. But yeah, its true, be better watch his back cos Kagame wants his blood now onwards……
Of course it will be one of many forms of rigging by PaF when prisoners vote. Didn’t the commissioner of prisons give the PaF plot away when he said no opposition will be allowed to campaign there, meaning that only PaF will campaign. That is straight rigging. Where else can opposition complain except donors and promoters of democracy like EU?
It is also absurd to have “honourables” and other high titles at the forefront of rigging.
Every one is talking about Inmates to vote. How about the diaspore to allow them to vote. Can Kapyongo, answer? Let the DIASPORE also vote. period.
WHEN HAS THE EU EVER APPEALED TO ZAMBIA ANYTHING?
USELESS UNDEAD AND HH
What’s the rationale to allow prisoners to vote? They are criminals who have lost the right to vote. Elections should be fair and free, and the process itself should be seen to be fair.
Opposition won’t be given equal opportunity and access to campaign in prison which by itself disadvantages them. I also doubt prisoners are informed enough to make informed decisions about who to vote for.
Really the level of desperation by the PF government knows know bounds.
Inmate voting was in courts for years by Mr Malembeka. Àfter the ruling in favour of PRISCA where are those opposed to this.
LIFE STYLE AUDITS FOR ALL CIVIL SERVANTS !!!!!!!