THERE IS A DELIBERATE ploy by the opposition UPND to discredit the integrity of the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) so as to cause doubt and disrupt the electoral process, Deputy Media Director for the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) Antonio Mourinho Mwanza has said.
And Mwanza has explained that there is no online voter registration currently taking place ahead of the 2021 general elections.
Speaking when he featured on the Wednesday edition of the Lusaka Star Radio Magazine on UNZA Radio, Mwanza said the opposition was preparing for nothing but a loss in 2021.
“The opposition UPND have launched a campaign to discredit the integrity of the ECZ and they are doing this in order to bring doubt and confusion with regards to the electoral process and democratic credentials that we have as a nation,” said Mwanza.
“There is no online Voter Registration that ECZ is conducting. What ECZ is doing is pre-voter registration and NOT voter registration. The online-voter pre-registration is l not a final registration. All those who will pre-register online will be required to visit a physical registration centre to submit their biometrics (portrait, signature, finger/thumb prints), have their details verified and obtain a voters card.”
The PF Deputy Media Director said the opposition party was trying to plant seeds of discort and plant fertile grounds to dispute the 2021 election results.
He also said the opposition UPND has been crying and accusing ECZ of rigging elections from 2001, adding that the opposition party was headed for another loss in the upcoming general elections.
“All this is a very calculated move by the opposition but they are preparing for another loss. From 2001 upto 2021, the UPND will continue claiming that elections are rigged but what is important is that if you have proof of your allegations, that is why we have the Courts of Law where you can go and petition if you have evidence that elections have been rigged,” said Mwanza.
Mwanza further challenged the opposition to take part and participate in all meetings called by ECZ with various political parties and stakeholders.
He said there was no reason for anybody to go out and discredit the ECZ than just trying to justify a loss then blame it on ECZ when the election body had always invited all political party players for engagements on matters of concern.
“For example, we have Bill 10 which is trying to cure the issue of the Public Order Act, the issue of ECZ and the judiciary and if anybody cares about the autonomy and Independence of ECZ, they have an opportunity to support Bill 10 so that they can also change, revise and amend the electoral process,” he said.
“But those who boycott Bill 10 are simply saying that they are also happy with the Electoral Process Act the way it is, they are happy with the Public Order Act the way it is and they are happy with the way the Judiciary is.”
Meanwhile, Mwanza said there was no online voter registration as perceived by some sections of society and that the only registration taking place was a pre-online voter registration exercise whose purpose was to reduce the time people spend when doing the physical voter registration exercise.
He added that all those who would have done the pre-online voter registration would still be required to visit a voter registration center for verification and other requirements.
“The voter registration will require that all of us go to a voter registration Center and do the physical registration where they need to take your portrait, thumb print and signature. The only thing that this pre-online voter registration exercise is doing is that it reduces the time spent on the process so that when you go to the actual voter registration center, you would have already submitted some of your details and spend less time there.”
Mwanza added that nobody would be disadvantaged including those without Smart Phones or related Gadgets as everyone would still be required to visit a Center to complete the process before obtaining a voter’s card.
aMwanza mwalakwa ndithu, what credibility is there with the ECZ to discredit!
WHAT A CONFIRMATION, ARE YOU SERIOUS;
“For example, we have Bill 10 which is trying to cure the issue of the Public Order Act, the issue of ECZ and the judiciary and if anybody cares about the autonomy and Independence of ECZ, they have an opportunity to support Bill 10 so that they can also change, revise and amend the electoral process,”
ATI, IF ANY BODY CARES
Just another one of the ruling partys r o a d b l o c k s that stops voices from being heard. Zambia’s d e m o c r a c y is broken. It’s a r i g g e d system
BushMaster
“There is no online Voter Registration that ECZ is conducting. What ECZ is doing is pre-voter registration and NOT voter registration. The online-voter pre-registration is l not a final registration. All those who will pre-register online will be required to visit a physical registration centre to submit their biometrics (portrait, signature, finger/thumb prints), have their details verified and obtain a voters card.”
WHAT’S the purpose of doing it online, only to be told that you have to go back for physical, why dont we just do the everything at once by going there physically. I WILL JUST COME THERE PHYSICALLY I CANT BE WASTING BUNDLES JUST LIKE THAT.
A dying man will do anything he feels like doing even if it is the detriment of fellow humans. This is because a dying man has nothing to lose. The upnd is a dead party hence this behaviour. They know that come 2021 we are ending their careers
Indeed when I listened to the debate on Diamond TV last evening I could see why Sean Tembo described Kambwili and Hichilema as shallow. My advice to politicians is that please acquaint yourselves with how these institutions operate. This will reduce unnecessary misunderstandings. The question that Hichilema must ask himself is how his friends have managed to win elections using these same institutions? If you can’t find a formula to work with what is available it’s better you quit than waste our time. You’re supposed to build these institutions and not to destroy them. Anyone who does that is an enemy of the people
I like your points @Ayatollah. What I would also like to add is that there is a PERCEPTION of impropriety by these bodies that we need to combat and work around. Whether true or not we continue to read about rigging, about malpractice and innuendoes about what the exercise of these institutions are in the negative. Perhaps a more rigorous enlightenment exercise free of partisanship would help. Kaya mwe…
@Kalok, the fact remains that the ECZ shall always be there and it shall conduct elections just there shall always be the Judiciary, should we abolish these institutions because UPND have lost elections? Or the election petition? NO. There was Kalale at ECZ and the UPND had issues with him, they had issues with Priscilla Isaacs, now they have issues with the current Director. Even if we put Garry Nkombo at ECZ Hichilema will still complain. We can’t destroy these institutions because of one person, let him just find a way to work with them and that’s what leadership entails. It’s only through cooperation that we can reduce elections malpractices not by scandalizing innocent individuals
Iwe Ayatollah, when institutions break the law, decent citizens have the right and obligation to hold them accountable to the agreed laws and the constitutional provisions. This has nothing to do with Hichilema. Cooperation in political competition and reducing election malpractices will only be there when electoral bodies respect and adhere to the agreed laws and regulations. It is Zambian citizens and voters who will not allow ECZ to continue abrogating the agreed laws and electoral voting requirements. Address the substantive issues or concerns being raised by the opposition and not attacking HH as a person. HH is a key participant in competing for the position of president of Zambia under UPND. Therefore he, like other Zambians has a right to complain when ECZ is not following agreed…
@Ngoma Yamaano, did you listen to the debate on Diamond TV? Sean Tembo made more sense than the combination of Kambwili and Hichilema! Peter Sinkamba was his usual self, of course mature. How can the threats that Hichilema issued improve the situation at ECZ? At first they accused Dan Kalale of rigging elections until he was removed, again they accused Priscilla Isaacs, now they have gone for Nshindano, surely can all these people be wrong and Hichilema right? Hichilema failed to quote which Law ECZ has abrogated he instead began to demean Sean. I ask you the same question, which Law has ECZ abrogated? UPND has sued ECZ let’s wait for outcome because they already have issues with Judge Chitabo
UPND don’t need to discredit anything. You do that all on your own.
@Ayatollah, true or not, there is a PERCEPTION. I am not disputing anything. Matter of fact I know the electoral law and there are some things the ECZ is doing that they are ALLOWED to do. So we need to deal with a very aggressive media machine, as well as a very virulent conspiracy theory system in place. Contributors, thanks for the thumbs …