United Party for National Development (UPND) Lusaka District youths have fired shots towards their plans to hold a peaceful demonstration against what they described as “undemocratic and illegal decision by the Election Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to delete the 2016 Voter’s register in preference for a new one”.
According to the youths, the march is also aimed at calling for the resignation of ECZ Chairperson, Esau Chulu as well as the electoral body’s Chief Electoral Officer, Patrick Nshindano, describing the two as incompetent and adamant in the execution of their duties, a situation they believe had the potential to bring about civil unrest in the country.
Addressing the media shortly after delivering a notification letter to Lusaka Central Police Station this morning, Lusaka District Youth Chairperson Archritius Mwanakayaya made it clear that the notification was in line with Part 3 of the Republican Constitution.
Mwanakayaya accused Mr. Chulu and Mr. Nshindano of being a danger to the country’s peace and survival and wondered what mechanism the ECZ would use to capture the targeted 9 million voters when the registration of voters in 2011, 2015, and 2016 took a number of years to compile.
He explained that the illegal decision would disfranchise several eligible voters in the forthcoming 2021 tripartite elections.
“This activity, slated for 8th October 2020, will commence from Lusaka’s Main Post Office on Cairo Road to the Electoral Commission of Zambia Headquarters between 09:00 hours and 11:00 hours,” Mr. Mwanakayaya said.
The UPND youths, who have assured of an incident-free procession, have also pledged to provide 1, 000 marshals.
Speaking later, Lusaka Province Youth Chairperson Anderson Banda stated that the youths had decided to take the route of demonstrating after all channels of calling for the ECZ to consider maintaining the 2016 Voter’s roll had proved futile.
“We have tried all avenues and all means of communication to ECZ, but we have failed. It is now clear that the ECZ is doing things their own way. We saw how the country almost plunged into a civil war after the 2016 general elections,” Lamented Mwanakayaya.
He added that all the seven Districts in Lusaka Province had successfully notified the police over the intended demonstration.
Mr Banda also wondered why the Police allowed hired youths to march to State House to present a petition to President Edgar Lungu over the privatization saga without a police permit.
“Luangwa, Rufunsa, Chongwe, Kafue and Chilanga districts have also successfully notified the police of a planned demonstration over the same” He said.
Meanwhile, UPND Lusaka District Chairperson Saviours Ndaba urged ECZ to suspend online voter’s registration and continue with manual voter’s registration because Zambia’s capacity is inadequate to combat such levels of technology as there is more to Zambia than Lusaka, Copper belt and Livingstone which seem to be a bit advanced in technology.
Speaking when he featured on Muvi TV’s program called Our Perspective, Mr Ndaba said that online voter’s registration has a hidden agenda which is meant at disadvantaging and depriving citizens of their constitutional right to vote, seeing that it is an unfriendly process which requires smart phones and internet access in addition to Invaliding the old voter register which goes against the Constitution allowing on going voter registration.
Responding to the issue of NRC insuance, he has called on PF government through Home Affairs Minister Stephen Kampyongo and Police Inspector General Kakoma Kangaja to tame PF cadres who are interfering with isuance of NRCs by making people pay a token. Mr Ndabe charged that mere statements being given by Stephen Kampyongo warning PF cadres is not enough but action aimed at removing them from NRC centres must be adopted through deploying more professional police officers in centers.
In his closing remarks, Mr Ndaba called on ECZ to cancel online voter’s registration and allocate enough time to manual voter’s registration exercise so that all eligible citizens to vote can be captured. He also encouraged Zambians not to be weary because help and hope is on its way through UPND.
The more new registered voters the better for UPND.
The deceased on PF voters register will not help them.
This is very confusing, firstly during the 2016 elections the opposition acused Govt of registering Foreigners to vote, now the Govt says let us clean what is seemingly a messy voters register then you rise up against the move. The UPND has not given any alternative to cleaning up this messy voters register. It is believed that this voters register is even more messy in HHs strongholds such as southern province. Does HH want ghost voters to vote for him? We know the schemes that have been hatched by HH over this voters register. The aim is just to cause confusion using headless youths who are paid 3 pieces of silver. If UPND has any moral sense over this issue they should suggest ways of cleaning or updating this voters register otherwise they are making the usual noise just short of…
… Conceding defeat even before the 2021 vote is cast. We cannot have an opposition that rejoices when things go wrong. And you cannot be an opposition that always advocates bad things for your country. Onyl you must be president then all of a sudden everything will be OK. Zambia is not a monarchy it is a republic. HH and Tilienji you must consider giving way to other Zambians to run your political parties left by your parents.
I thought the case is before the courts. Should the police give a permit to one political party. It would have made sense if it was the whole country. Suppose PF youths also march demanding that people should register on online or marching in support of ECZ and esau. POLICE don’t allow them. In short HH wants to control ECZ.
The upnd are a good example of someone who doesn’t know if they are coming or going. If we used the old register they were going to claim that they are at a disadvantage because the register will favour us. A new register ensures a wider participation and reduces disenfranchisement of voters. The upnd always become like this close to election because they smell and sense defeat.
Iwe Illogical Logic, if UPND and NDC youths request for a permit nothing stops PF and surrogate parties from protesting too if they so wish. After all we know the PF and surrogates just march with or without police permit. All that is needed is to respect the constitutional rights of people and groups to protest. So now you are instructing police not to allow UPND and NDC to protest, why? In case PF youths and surrogate parties also wish to march, it is the police’s responsibility to ensure that the two groups are separately doing their protests without any crashes. HH doesnt want to control ECZ. HH and concerned citizens want to secure that ECZ follows the law and the constitution in administering elections.
@ngoma yamaano, you want ECZ to bend because NDC and UPND have said so. You think Lusaka is Zambia. Read the Zambia Constitution then you will understand how ECZ operates and the powers that are invested in ECZ. Have you ever heard HH and UPND claiming there is rigging in Southern Province? To upnd rigging is always outside SP.
Ububwena bukopo sana.
These thing brain species of the dead camp don’t understand how the country runs.
They are sickeningly dull.
My advice to my fellow youths is that ECZ is an independent body that should be respected by all whether PF or UPND.Let us stop interfering with what ECZ are doing let us distance ourselves from these actions which are not appropriate and which only promote anarchy in this country.leave ECZ alone and do there job.
Illogical Logic, which constitution of Zambia do you want me to read. In your regional narrowness, you want to divert the discussion to Southern Province. We are talking of the right for UPND and NDC to protest when they feel the ECZ is not following agreed Zambian electoral laws and the constitution. The protesters have already indicated the laws and the constitutional provisions which ECZ has abrogated. Argue against the issues the protesters are against and not about what is for Lusaka or Southern province. This is about what will affect the elections across the country in 2021. Let us not dwell on petty partisan issues.
Look at the PF rats above trying to justify disenfranchising people……
It is the time scale UPND are protesting. How do you capture all eligible voters in one month in a third world country ????
Money tricks by lungu…..
Ba John Mwamba, while ECZ is an independent institution to administer free and fair elections in Zambia, the ECZ has to adhere to the agreed laws and the constitution of Zambia in administering the elections. As an electoral referee, the ECZ has to make sure they follow agreed laws to avoid being seen as favoring any of the parties in an election competition. ECZ has always been left alone to administer elections as long as the ECZ follows agreed electoral laws and procedures. I will not subscribe to independent institutions if this independence means allowing these institutions to abrogate the agreed laws and the constitution of Zambia!!
Nonsense…now you know that the numbers you boast of in you strong holds as UPND are fake. Those are the fake numbers MMD under Mwanawasa used to rig elections. If your voters-turn out in a day of voting ( 6 – 18 hrs ) is 95%, why are you saying your people will not manage to register in 30 days? Now you are found red handed, those fake numbers will not be there come 2021. You think Zambians don’t know about the rigging which goes on in Southern Province. You use those fake numbers to stuff in votes. You must be ashamed.
now you know that the numbers you boast of in you strong holds as UPND are fake. Those are the fake numbers MMD under Mwanawasa used to rig elections. If your voters-turn out in a day of voting ( 6 – 18 hrs ) is 95%, why are you saying your people will not manage to register in 30 days? Now you are found red handed, those fake numbers will not be there come 2021. You think Zambians don’t know about the rigging which goes on in Southern Province. You use those fake numbers to stuff in votes. You must be ashamed.
You are cry babes ..we are tired of your inspid behaviour UPND and your insulting HH.
It’s time we took our country back from these criminals masquerading as govt officials.
Illogical Logic but iyo ni point. Rigging is only done outside Southern Province not in Dudumwezi. Winter Kabimba made it very clear, if there is rigging of elections in Zambia, how come the late President Data won? Awe fimo tuleiluka MWe!
Article 76 (1) of the Constitution establishes an Electoral Commission for Zambia.
The Commission’s independence is expressly guaranteed in the Constitution and in the Electoral Act. The latter provides that in the exercise of its functions, the Commission shall not be subject to the direction or control of any person or authority. The Commission is accountable to Parliament.
The functions and powers of the Commission are provided for the in the Constitution, the Electoral Act, and other related statutes and include:
To supervise and conduct the registration of voters;
To conduct and supervise Presidential, Parliamentary and Local Government elections;
To review the delimitation of constituency, ward, and polling district boundaries;
To supervise referendums;
To provide…
Illogical Logic, why cant you quote correctly from the ECZ Act no. 25 of 2016 to cover all the functions of the ECZ?? Stop cherry picking. Why do you avoid to state that subject to the constitution, the ECZ shall direct, supervise and control elections in a fair and impartial manner…The Act also states that the functions of the ECZ are to (a) ensure that elections are free and fair (b) promote conditions conducive to free and fair elections (c) promote democratic electoral processes. You also avoid to state that in its functions, the commission will (a)undertake consultations, public hearings and inquiries for the purpose of performing its functions under the constitution and this Act (b) receive written or oral statements from any person or organization for the purposes of its functions…
ECZ is a corrupt PF agency. the by-elections have already demonstrated that.
ECZ has become a corrupt PF agency. the by-elections have already demonstrated that.
Kaizer focus on PF. We want to make you president!
This issue gas two facets: the first is what does the constitution allow? Second is does ECZ have capacity to register all those people in one month? That’s what they should explain with evidence