The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has pledged to deliver credible elections when Zambians vote on August 12, 2021.
ECZ Chief Electoral Officer Kryticuos Nshindano said the electoral body has put in place adequate preparations to make the elections credible despite pockets of political violence recorded across the country.
Mr. Nshindano said ECZ has demonstrated its resolve to ensure that the August 12, 2021 polls are credible by guaranteeing that erring political parties have been suspended from campaigning in respective trouble-torn areas.
He disclosed that the electoral commission has spent about K1.2 billion out of its K1.5 billion budget on ensuring that the August 12 polls are credible and held in line with acceptable international electoral practices.
Over seven million voters are expected to participate in Thursday’s general elections to elect the President, Members of Parliament, Mayors or Council Chairpersons and Local government councilors.
Mr. Nshindano assured that the ECZ will ensure that election results are announced within 72 hours from the time the last polling station closes at 18:00hours on Wednesday, August 12, 2021.
He further urged the stakeholders, interest groups and the general public to desist from announcing the election results as it is the preserve of the ECZ.
He said election results for presidential, parliamentary, mayoral and councilor levels will be counted and announced at the 950 polling stations dotted across the country, and stuck at the entrance of the stations for the general public to see.
Mr. Nshindano further said the ECZ is ready to conduct a presidential re-run vote in the event that neither of the 18 presidential candidates manages to garner 50 percent plus one of the votes cast on election day.
He said the law provides for the re-run and that the electoral body has already budgeted for it.
Meanwhile, The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) says it has instituted measures aimed at ensuring that voting is conducted smoothly within correctional facilities during Thursday’s general elections.
ECZ Chief Electoral Officer Patrick Nshindano reveals that among the measures put in place, the commission has provided training to Correctional service personnel for the purposes of conducting successful electoral process within the prison facilities.
Mr Nshindano says correctional facilities are also allowed to receive campaign materials to ensure that inmates have access to voter education and exposed to the participating candidates.
The ECZ Chief Electoral officer explained in a statement that polling stations at the correctional facilities will undergo the same electoral practices prevailing in ordinary polling stations adding that all stakeholders partaking in the elections will be allowed in the premises.
“ However, as correctional centers are security facilities and therefore observers, monitors, polling agents and other stakeholders will be subjected to the routine screenings before entrance as per practice, “ he said.
And addressing the issue of transferred inmates from one facility to another likely to be denied the chance to vote, Mr. Nshindano said correctional personnel are fully aware of the electoral process and have been mindful even as these transfers are done.
He further added that released inmates who registered at correctional centers are free to go back and vote from these centers and assured all concerned parties that correctional polling centers are as safe as any other.
“As earlier said, you can only vote from where you are registered from, so everybody has the right to access, the conditions that prevail at any other polling stations also prevail at the polling station in the correctional facilities,” he said.
And speaking at the same event, ECZ Director of Electoral Operations Royd Katongo said correctional center polling stations will not in any way be treated differently but will be subjected to all electoral procedures including access by stakeholders as well as counting of the results at the respective centers before being transferred to the totaling center.
Mr Katongo explained however that newly sentenced inmates who are not registered at their current holding facility if not released by the election date will not be allowed to go and cast their votes at their registered polling centers.
He said this is not within the Jurisdiction of the ECZ to handle but is the mandate of the Correctional service.
The ECZ has this year registered 14, 963 inmates as voters to participate in the elections for the first time in the country’s history.
Neither Nevers Mumba,HH or Edgar Lungu plus the other 15 nonentities running will garner the required 50% plus one in the first round.Credible elections i highly doubt.
Credibility of an election doesn’t just depend on wht the ECZ thinks. All stakeholders dhould also think that a credible election has taken place. In Shiwang’andu, the Socialist Party candidate suffered a near-death experience after being mercilessly attacked. What have u Patrick Nshindano and Essau Chulu done? The blood of innocent citizens will be on your hands if we lose peace after this election.
Re run?? Which referee says we’re ready for the extra time? Its like they know already these biased referee.
A good referee will say ‘May the best team win.’ Not talking about extra time. It means the game is rigged already.
The elections are already not credible. Unverified voter registration, voter packing, blackout of opposition parties on national media and police interference of UPND movement. In addition, stopping HH to drive through Copperbelt!
These elections are not fair and free!
We have allowed ourselves to be colonised by the worst ones of all. Unless we unite and see who the real enemy is in this election, we don’t stand a chance. We may as well hand this country called Zambia back on a copper plate.
Nshindano is the very reason that these elections will not be credible as he was appointed by Edgar China Lungu in person. Not to be trusted!
Credible elections my foot! Not under this regime. It will only be a credible election if the opposition wins. Why do I say so? These are the reasons ECZ cannot be believed when they say they will conduct a credible election: They allowed the ruling party to stop the opposition from mobilizing, under registration of voters in the opposition strongholds, frustrating or stopping the opposition campaigns during the official campaign period and applying double standards in the enforcement of covid-19 health guidelines
PF’s Mr. Lungu is winning with 302,127 votes difference. However, PF will lose at least 20 constituencies from 2016. HHBwill lose, UPND will gain. 2026, a new party will form government.
Why hasn’t he addressed ECZ’s refusal to have the voters’ roll independently verified?
Rigging starts there.
If HH wins these elections, I hope those talking about rigging will continue to do so because it will mean the elections have been rigged in favour of HH. If you do then you will have my respect otherwise let’s give ECZ the benefit of the doubt.
The ECZ is attempting to favour the incumbent as can be seen in their actions. Deploying military personnel is intended to intimidate people from safeguarding their votes. It will turn nasty real fast. Lungu has lost this one.
Looking forward to the sanctions list.remember the only place you can travel to or do business with will be China.keep that admire Zimbabwe’s economy.in the wise words of sata in 2011 .if Zambia was to have sanctions like Zimbabwe; can we survive even for a week when we import even a toothpick?..RIP king cobra
If ECZ has been operating with hidden external influence every stakeholder or citizen would have believed in their credibility and would not be laboring to explain this and that. I hope many people who are holding public office have learnt lessons not to undermine governance institutions to impress the powers be in return for promotions, some small rewards, money, positions etc. People must operate within the confines of law and what they are employed, that is to do the right thing for good of mother Zambia. This country is not about ECL and PF, HH and UPND Alliance, Harry Kalaba’s DP, M’membe’ SP. Lets do the right by voting for the right person who has confidence of the people. When the majority say we want change then they have lost confidence in that leader and if he forces himself…
All my hardwork over the last few years come down to tomorrow, when the people will assess our performance. I can’t wait to exercise my right to vote and I urge you all to come out in numbers to do the same, regardless of your party affiliation. I thank you so much lusaka times for providing this platform for us to share and debate national issues. I have made some good friends here and likewise some enemies. But at the end of it all, we are all here because we love Zambia. So I love you all. See you on the other side.
@Uchiha Madara, you have exposed your age. Yes Zambia survived under illegal sanctions imposed on the UNIP government for many years. If these people cared so much about us in Zambia, don’t you find it odd that black people in the US are still fighting for equal rights in this day and age?