LEADERS of various political parties have spoken out on national matters affecting the 2021 general election at the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) Presidential Summit taking place at Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka.
Those in attendance includes Republican and PF President Dr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu, PF Secretary General Hon Davies Mwila, EEP President Chilufya Tayali, ULP President Sakwiba Sikota, Rainbow Party President Wynter Kabimba, NDC President Chishimba Kambwili, UNIP President Tilyenji Kaunda, NRP President Rev. Dr. Cozmo Mumba, GPZ President Jackson Silavwe, ZDDM President Charles Kafumbo and UPND President Hakainde Hichilema.
ULP President Sakwiba Sikota says it is the opposition that went to Court in 2016 to call for the discarding of the register and has urged all political parties to standby by what they wanted.
Mr. Sikota says ECZ can listen but must be allowed to make decisions calling on stakeholders to present meaningful suggestions.
Meanwhile, FDD President Ms. Edith Nawakwi says those complaining about time should explain where the kind of time they are asking for will fit in on issues planned by ECZ between now and August 2021. Ms. Nawakwi has urged ECZ to have powers to disqualify serial violent political parties. The FDD President says the issue of the Public Order Act is not a matter for ECZ but parliament to repeal the Act.
And Rainbow party President Wynter Kabimba says all leaders must commit themselves to render support to ECZ in order to have a free and fair election.
Mr. Kabimba says ECZ is not a political party but an autonomous body which should not be dragged into politics calling for a law to give ECZ power to summon those who accuse it wrecklessly.
UPPZ President Charles Chanda says the country cannot be losing lives just because an individual wants to rule Zambia one day.
UNIP President Tilyenji Kaunda says nomination fees remain too high for majority of those interested in taking part in national elections calling for consideration.
Meanwhile, NDC President Chishimba Kambwili has urged the Electoral Commission of Zambia to consider adjusting the time frame for capturing voters as 30 days appears inadequate.
NRP President Rev. Dr. Cozmo Mumba called on NDC President Chishimba Kambwili to desist from issuing alarming statements, such as, ‘Zambia will burn down if ECZ fails to listen to him’ during important meetings such as the one called by ECZ.
And EEP President Chilufya Tayali says matters that are before courts of law would not have been there if all leaders were attending consultative meetings because ECZ has been consultative.
MMD Vice President Reuben Sambo, GPZ President Jackson Silavwe and UPND President Hakainde Hichilema also voiced out their concerns in the Summit.
In response, ECZ Vice Chairperson Emily Sikazwe says the issue of inmates voting from prisons is a court order adding that some political parties walked away when ECZ recently called for a meeting.
ECZ Commissioner Ali Simwinga says nomination fees in Zambia remain fair in the Southern African region.
Mr. Simwinga says it is possible to register 9 million voters in 30 days especially that ECZ manages to facilitate millions of people to vote in one day.
And ECZ Chief Electoral Officer Kryticious Nshindano says the new voters register will be better because of biometrics unique features.
He says the risk of having more than a million deceased people on the voter’s register would bring issues during elections which ECZ is addressing through the new voter’s register.
Well played. Dialogue is always best.
Useless. You mean you can quote tayali and Cosmo leaving out HH!? Useless
As usual ka cry baby hh ran straight to media crying that he is being treated like a grade 4. What you expect when you act like one ?
Commendations must be given to lungu for attending a meeting where other political opposition leaders are present…….
Let’s learn from Kenya where uhuru even shared a podium with his opponent…
I haven’t heard the outspoken opposition leaders say anything on the issues they complain about outside this important meeting that was cordially called by the ecz. We should not hear them start lamenting again in the field of social media. Let them stop the nonsense.
Well done ECZ. This is the way to go. I feel relieved that Zambia is in good hands. That old voters register should be discarded immediately and replaced by a new one currently being compiled by ECZ. Let’s leave our departed souls out of our politics. MTSRIP.
Leave ECZ alone. They are professional. If you smell defeat again in 2021 it is time to start campaigns for 2026. I therefore urge Kambwili and HH to start strategizing for 2026.
ECZ is a operations are define by the constitution. The constitution can be amended if there are latinas on ECZ. But lack of foresight always hits UPND. They boycott important issues at the wrong time and come regret later. Poor strategists.
This is just a sham gathering to hoodwink the donor community and ECZ and Lungu know it.
Look at Lungu’s sycophants and minions masquerading as opposition parties but are there as Lungu’s paod mercenaries. Sakwiba Sikota, what a disappointment this guy… still bitter with HH for grabbing UPND from him. Instead of forgetting and burying the differences for the sake of the country, he goes to bed with whoever is in power to gang against HH. Listen to Kabimba, Nawakwi and the rest of the time wasters. What are the requirements to register a party these days. There should be a law that if you don’t have any representation in parliament then your party should be de-registered.
What a country! The ECZ going to bed with Lungu.
I love Kambwili’s shirt
ECZ is one of the few onstitutions that shows some efficiency. They have a programme of action in place but their efforts are swarted by politicians who seem not know what they need. They condemed 2016 voters’ roll. Now they want it. They condemned the 2016 constitution but now argue there is nothing wrong with the constitution. Ongoing dialogue is the way to go. Hats off to all party presidents who participated in the meeting. It is so sweet that even one member party presidents were in attendance. Lastly political parties should stop intimidating ECZ officials.
People getting Green NRC’s only require one thumb print to get the ID which is the main document needed for voter registration.
The argument that new voters register will get 10 finger prints and thus make it more secure is completely flawed.
I just love how Sikota, Nawakwi gets to be on point. Tayali spoke sense too
SAKWIBA SIKOTA CHALLENGED UPND TO STATE WHY THEY ARE INSISTING ON HAVING THE OLD VOTERS REGISTER. HE SAID UPND IS ON RECORD OF HAVING TAKEN ECZ TO COURT OF THE SAME REGISTER IN 2016.
HE SAID IT IS THE SAME OPPOSITION THAT TOOK ECZ TO COURT IN 2016 BECAUSE THEY WANTED A NEW REGISTER AND TODAY THEY WANT THEY SAME OLD ONE. SO CAN UPND TELL THE NATION WANT THEY STAND FOR.
AND WHEN PEOPLE SAY UPND IS FULL CRY BABIES,BELIEVE THEM FOR SURE.VERY INCONSISTENCY.
The humble president Edgar. I like him, but he has been abused by the PF thugs. Some thugs even name their children after him.
Scared because a British minister of Africa is visiting Zambia. When PF demons rise up all hell breaks loose beating up (including police officers) the general public of divergence views like cows in a kraal, maim, harass and intimidate all marketeers and those grieving after loss of their loved ones.
2 days ago, violence broke up among PF cadres in party ligaria while about to bury a deceased person.
In this meeting they have pretended to be civilised while innocent people are locked up, Banda Jay Jay a pf cadre who beat up police officers (shamefully) is shielded by state house. What hypocrisy
Mediocrity and Immorality in our nation have reached alarming proportions; names for Political Parties appear handwritten especially one for UPND,in this day and era, Sakwiba, Kabimba,Nawakwi put themselves in the same league as Chilufya Tayali.Charles Chandea and found it fit to side with PF INSTEAD OF TAKING THE ECZ TO TASK TO EXPLAIN WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR ALL ALONG TO WORK ON A REGISTER ONLY TO COME AND DECIDE TO DISCARD THE OLD REGISTER AND CREATE A NEW ONE IN 30DAYS? Instead of taking the ECZ to task, TO GRILL THEM ON WHY THEY FAIL TO DISQUALIFY VIOLENT POLITICAL PARTIES LIKE THE PF FROM TAKING PART IN PARTICULAR ELECTIONS EVEN WHEN THERE IS OVERWHELMING EVIDENCE OF VIOLENCE!! So saddening!!
ECL’s posture is very sheepish in that picture. Guilty of something or nursing a hangover as usual?
Imagine a pre- games meeting for a soccer tournament to explain on the pitch changes for the participating teams and some of the participating teams siding with the referees with each and every new rule!
Something needs to change in the reporters for what one gets from listening to video clips is mostly ever not in agreement with written text!
There’s nothing that is better than dialogue and I commend President Edgar for attending that meeting. Nervers Mumba must swallow his pride and reconcile with the ECZ, especially after the wild statements that he made. There’s no need for him to delegate to his unelected Vice such an important meeting
With 10 months b4 the August 12,2021 Elections why discard the Existing Voters Roll? Voters Rolls are updated continuously by removing the Names of Voters who have died and adding new qualifying voters who now meet the Voting years threshold. Thats what ECZ should do to update the current Voters Roll. Its illegal and unconstitutional for ECZ to disenfranchise Voters by manipulating the Voters Roll. A clean Voters Roll is a must if Zambia is to have free, fair and credible Elections in 2021.Disputed Elections lead to violence and Political instability. With Political instability in Zambia there cannot be Economic growth and devt. The writing is on the wall.
Kaizer for president
What was the conclusion of the meeting? From what I have read it, it seems that apart from Upnd all the political paties have agreed with the propose from ECZ. Does it make sense for Upnd to demonstrate?