The much respected Africa Confidential has revealed that the UPND Alliance has been given US$ 5 million from its backers to fund a Parallel Vote Tabulation system for next week’s polls.
President Edgar Lungu is in a close fight for the presidency with United Party for National Development (UPND) leader Hakainde Hichilema, who lost by 100,000 votes in the last election in 2016.
PVT is taken seriously because it was key to the PF’s Michael Sata victory over incumbent President Rupiah Banda in 2011.
When PVT results showing a clear PF win were widely publicised, Mr. Sata’s victory became established in the public mind; that persuaded President Banda – who had toyed with disregarding the vote – to step down.
Mr. Hichilema’s backers have spent about $5m to emulate the Sata PVT campaign.
Election experts say only a landslide for the UPND could thwart a determined PF campaign to steal the vote.
Reports are circulating in Lusaka that PF plans to fix the polls include using cyber-warfare techniques developed by an Israeli outfit, but no evidence has been forthcoming.
In the election campaign, which in reality has been running since the last one, the opposition’s big concern is the ruling party’s use of state power and funds to win votes.
It also worries about the threat of electoral fraud and is investing strongly in a Parallel Vote Tabulation.
PVT exercises transmit results posted at polling stations to a central point before anyone can change the numbers to benefit their party.
Local newspaper News Diggers claims that at least 20,000 voter cards had been issued to Malawians in border areas along with bribes to vote for the PF.
On 23 July Lungu inaugurated the US$2.3 billion Kafue Gorge Lower hydropower station with much fanfare, commissioning the first 150MW turbine in the planned 750MW facility.
Built by China’s Sinohydro Corporation, most of the financing for the project has come from the Export-Import Bank of China and the Industrial Commercial Bank of China (ICBC).
Talking up these mega-projects has been key part to the PF’s electoral armoury although financing them has helped create Zambia’s debt crisis.
After the financing problems delayed work, testing at the new plant began early this year.
It stalled when the government failed to persuade China Eximbank and ICBC to release the final $195m to pay the contractors.
We understand they haven’t released it yet due to worries over payment guarantees.
The project is run by Zesco, the state utility which accounts for about 45% of the national debt.
President Lungu has promised to open the new terminal at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport in Lusaka on 8 August.
Built by China Jiangxi, work started in 2015 and has cost $360m, financed by China Eximbank but its inauguration was delayed by cost overruns and finance problems.
The government has been trumpeting a strengthening of the kwacha against the dollar.
One US dollar bought 21.39 kwacha on 23 July, compared with 22.64 on 1 July.
On 2 August a dollar was buying 19.2 kwacha.
The Bank of Zambia points to rising copper prices (moving towards $10,000 a tonne), foreign appetite for government bonds and lower pressure on forex since the government entered sovereign default and stopped paying external creditors.
The opposition claims the fillip from higher mineral prices has been boosted by the BoZ selling extra US dollars to boost the kwacha.
Rigging is guaranteed, that’s how the convict won in 2016. His the hell did that Ugandan national have access to the server room.
It’s true in chipata , thousands of Malawi nationals from Mchinji area have both dual voting cards.
Good for UPND to invest in the PVT system. This convict will do everything in his power to rig ejections.
I’m in chipata and I will be voting HH. I’ve made this trip just to cast my vote and get rid of these thugs.
5 million only let him put in 10 its good gamble so that he will know he has lost well this time around
We are seeing videos of emptied ballot boxes , where the blank ballot papers have been stolen……..
PF were collecting voters card and reg numbers for this reason. They knew they were going to steal empty ballot papers.
what is the date of Africa confidential edition you are quoting-
LT editors you’re hell bent, we know uout funders PF.
Bally is fixing everything and we want to clean up the house and bring sanity to the country.
PF must go!
It’s too late. The rigging has been done. No PVT will turn that around. We are doomed – another five years of this hideous corrupt Edgar China Lungu
Characteristic of losers….always complaining and they know they have lost….and who are those Funders….what interest do they have in Zambian politics…when i say that HH is dangerous and ready to auction Zambia this is exactly what am talking about…US$ 5 million someone will claim half of Zambia for that money and HH doesn’t really care because he is not Patriotic…DON’T VOTE FOR HH
I don’t think HH/UPND are the only ones receiving donations from wellwishers. Others may have received same from the Chinese Communist Party and yet others from Cuba and so on and so forth, so in the game of politics you really can’t do without those friends and it’s not a crime. You may find that the money so donated has no strings attached but pure goodwill.
IF IT IS TRUE THAT IS ONLY A SMALL AMOUNT AS TO WHAT Mr. LUNGU _PF HAS RECEIVED
SO REALLY WHAT IS ALL THE FUSS ABOUT..
ALSP THE CINKS MAY BE INVOLVED WITH PF ?
Too late. Failure to appreciate Government efforts such adding 1350MW, pamper harvest, avoiding unnecessary mine closures, putting mines in the hands of Zambia, constructions of modern airport, road constructions, encouraging construction of malls, descent houses construction, schools, hospitals, has knocked out UPND
There you go, Zambia’s parallel government in action. If this man wins, I hope who ever becomes the main opposition leader will make his life hell the same way he has behaved. I hope they will show him the terrible 2s or Leka , leka as you call them in Zambia. You can see from his eyes how he craves to be worshipped.
He never wanted to give his supporters a single ngwee during the initial COVID-19 life struggles. What a self centered individual. All he is looking at is state house him and his family together with his friends.
Quite pathetic, him and his funders!
Why not use the solicited funds for strengthening Party structures in perceived PF strongholds?
US$5 m could have countered the rogue PF cash empowerment schemes. Other than his road shows his foot soldiers carrying out door to door campaigns would have put this money to good use instead of having to hang on to the hope hope that there’s a wind of change blowing- ifintu fikawama!
This just goes to render credence to assertions that he has already auctioned this country long before he has secured the vote. Wrong strategies…
He is just wasting his money because he has been losing since 2006. Unless you are saying even the MMD was rigging to win against UPND. He will lose a clean game. He can only win if he completely dislodges PF from the copperbelt and Lusaka
The universally accepted measures of measuring an economy are known, it is things like inflation, reserves, GDP, exchange rate, balance of payment, anything outside this like infrastructure does not stand. Start learning quickly, you don’t have time
So, if 20,000 voters have been issued to Malawians and they are part of the official ECZ voters’ register, how then will PVT tell us that the PF has rigged or will rig the 12 August election. To be honest, I just do not get the logic of the story. Probably, the UPND will need to engage the 2016 PF PVT consultants to help them on this. At least, I know friends who were part of this in 2016.
Videos circulating of showing empty ballot going missing, can that be confirmed on the ground?
Has rigging started?
Elections is big business for the economic hit man
Twalamona, it’s just Thursday. So for the opposition who say you are popular, kwati bufi! Am not seeing any wind of change. Anyway kaya, tizaonako!
Of course rigging has started do you think PF is not up to their dirty tricks again
They dont know the meaning of democrocy
why are they hindering the opposition ??
why are they dishing out huge amounts of cash
why are they sudedenly opening unfinshed projects
Only the dull wont understand whats going on
Zambia deserves better any other party will be accepted with great jubulation
BACHITA BWINO BECAUSE PF SEEMS SO DESPERATE FOR VICTORY.
Please stop lying about rigging. If theres wind of change get yourself to the polling stations to count votes for HH and send them to your secretariate. Only when those numbers are supressed will you say votes were stolen. Please for once let us use our brains. Its simple and its not rocket science. Thats how the PF removed the mighty MMD from power. If indeed you have more Zambians wanting to vote for UPND your simple duty is encourage them to vote because you know that they are voting for you. Once they vote sign for the votes and keep a copy. Lets stop lying that elections have been rigged. An empty box has no votes, so its useless. How can a box which will not be in a polling station be used to rig? Please get serious for once.
bribes
Iam personally happy to hear of this PVT investment. It reduces the tension that may arise from the loss that the opposition will face. It will exonerate and validate Lungu’s victory.
The Kwacha has marginally appreciated not because Zambia has no external debt to service but it is as a result of more Dollars coming in from lucrative metal exports and local gold reserves. Kasenseli, KCM and Mopani are feeding directly into BOZ while other mines are paying their ZRA obligations, saturating the money market with $$$. Nothing artificial; it is real.
Last time, I remember the PVT results were not released and we were subjected to speculations. This time around, please share the results of the PVT like the Church Monitoring group did. All the best.
@Matumbo
The recent 2016 UPND PVT was in fact, partly, nails in the coffin such that it was not even in the election results petition. They were busy hysterically running after transit ballot boxes. Shame.
He will spend to protect his own selfish interest. No interest for Zambians whatsoever.
Is it Gay money? Is it Panama papers friends money? Is it boer friend’s money or Mason’s money?
That’s why this shocker h² is always runing about from court to court like a headless chicken after polls.
Anso we will vote, nokuvota, nokuvota, nokuvota for one PF one ECL besides Meanwhile after all Zambians know that it’s PF100%, ECL100%, Zambia overdrive100%, Bumper harvest 100%, Elite Zambians100%, Peace100%, Empowerment100%, More money in your pockets with hard work 100% and Prosperity100%.
How can PF win an election after a very dismal economic and governance performance, just how
#28@Gregory
PF is winning elections despite the economic challenges and poor governance record you’ve indicated. The reason is simple the Govt has faced serious challenges which are not of their making. Covid, army worms, climate change, drought, floods, depressed copper prices but even in the midst of these challenges the general social economic performance has been impressive, it could have been worse.In short PF has shown leadership and has delivered in many areas like agriculture, energy , infrastructure and revamping of lDC which is expected to lead in industrialisation of the economy.
Sorry Alebwelelapo pamupando.
Government has done so well under the drought and SARS-CoV-2 circumstances therefore for informed Zambians it’s PF100%, ECL100%, Zambia overdrive100%, Bumper harvest 100%, Elite Zambians100%, Peace100%, Empowerment100%, More money in your pockets with hard work 100% and Prosperity100%.
I’m in total support of every action taken to prevent rigging regardless of whoever takes that action though we all know that PF has already partly rigged these elections going by the reduced number of voters in the perceived UPND strongholds
Approximately K96,301,299.49 just mumenshi. Ati backers, Jesu Klistu. Nayamba kale ukuposha ichalo uyu.
Pantu like it or not ale bwelelapo pamupando.
Uwingila mu mushota tomfwa Swansea. UPND n PF n probably Socialisty party you have done well so let’s bang it up.
For the results outcome lets be patient and prepare to accept them. Rigging or not only 1 will win it.
What’s clear is that the incumbent and current IG are no tough guys to manage cadres hence soldier were necessary to on streets. Elo they have no patience so dare them not.
So best wishes.
PVT does not cost that much, ask Sata.
He is westing his resources period.The wind of change is just in southern ;province where they vote him for the past 24 years.He is too selfish.I heard that even his mother in law stays in thatched house.The man should have given his cadres but they sleep without eatimg.Nowonder they don’t campaign when he is not around
mmmm “The much respected Africa Confidential” Really?