The news that President Edgar Lungu will ensure that ECZ operates independently from any political interference is being received with praise by some people. I hope it has nothing to do with Dr. Mumba’s allegation.
It has come when Dr. Mumba rigging allegation is a hot topic hence make President Lungu sound like he is referring to it. Like the President is trying to say Dr. Mumba is interfering with EZC operations.
I have read Dr. Mumba’s article on Lusaka Times. Not once but several times. It is a simple and detailed article, in Zambian English. Very easy to follow and understand. There is no complicated sentence, word, or paragraph for Dr. Mumba to explain before the “ECZ jury”.
Even if there were, when did the Electoral Commission of Zambia become an investigation agency of Zambia?
Is the Electoral Commission of Zambia free from criticism?
These are the questions that remain unanswered and maybe haunting may Zambians. They have been haunting me ever since I heard that ECZ has ordered a meeting with Dr. Mumba over the rigging allegation.
What does ECZ want to discuss with the New Hope Movement for Multi-Party Democracy President Dr. Nevers Mumba on Lukashya bye-election rigging allegation that Zambians should not hear?
I hope it is not about intimidation; warning and threats. In a democracy society every citizen has the right to express his concern over anything.
There is no doubt like any other organization, group, or individual, the Electoral Commission of Zambia strive for improvement.
Dr. Mumba’s critique should not be taken as a threat. If anything, the best the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) could do is to allow space for more criticism. It is the easiest way for shortcomings discovery. Unless a shortcoming is discovered, one can’t improve.
It appears up to now, the ECZ has not discovered any shortcomings. A few months ago, in my article “235 Constituencies Before 2021 Election is a Political Scam” I criticized EZC of leaning towards PF government interests. It seems nothing has changed.
The Electoral Commission of Zambia continues to serve the interest of the PF government. The coordination between the PF and ECZ on Dr. Mumba rigging allegation speaks it all. How does one explain PF Deputy Secretary-General, Mumbi Phiri threat to take Dr. Mumba to court and later on ECZ trying to take a court role!
I invite the PF or ECZ to explain.
By Venus N Msyani,
Concerned Citizen
The challenge with the ECZ and other institutions in the various arms of government is simply that these can not talk about any sort of independence when the heads of these institutions are appointed by the head of state.
The executive arm of government in the form of the office of the president must lose these powers of appointment.
The head of Electoral Commission, the IG, etc, must be appointed on merit, and should swear allegiance to the Zambian people in parliament, not swearing allegiance to an officer temporarily occupying the office of the president.
If you do not understand the depth of this challenge, is better to keep quiet.
Ati concerned citizen. The president has given you the government’s stance on matter so what other explanations are you after ? Instead of looking for every excuse under the sun for losing elections, why not put that energy into selling your message to the electorate and winning fair and square. F00lish author
This is rubbish, if Dr Mumba has any evidence of rigging, take to ACC if he does not trust ACC post the evidence on social media. In 2016 UPND claimed to have a lot of evidence of rigging. There were given 14 days by the constitutional court but we all know the how UPND decided to perform a circus for 14 days. The most silly question ever asked was does 14 days include weekends?
@Lynch mob misleader, we have hard a number of constitutional amendments where issues of presidential appointments should have been raised by the opposition. The best the opposition did was walk out of parliament. Dr Mumba was republican Vice President among other positions he held in government but saw nothing wrong with presidential appointment, public order act the demons that will haunt the opposition Mumba inclusive in 2021. For someone like Mumba who has never won an election complaining about rigging is like PK Chishala complaining about what he saw.
Kaizer Zulu hold your anger. The author is asking for an explanation on the perceived coordination between the PF and ECZ on Dr. Mumba’s rigging allegation. Explain on behalf of the PF if you can Sir.
The opposition were given an opportunity to propose ammendments to the constitution. They should have used that opportutnity to amend the ECZ act. But instead they boycotted, walked out of parliament and rubbished the process. Now it is catching up with them
The slogan fOr the party in government is “sonta apo tatwaibe, sela twibeko”. Even elections.