Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) Chief Electoral Officer Patrick Nshindano says the Commission is working towards actualizing diaspora voting ahead of the 2026 general elections.
And Mr. Nshindano has implored Zambians living abroad to take advantage of the ongoing voter registration exercise and travel to Zambia so that they can register as voters in the 2021 elections, stating that in its current form, the electoral Act does not allow Zambians living in the Diaspora to vote from their respective jurisdictions.
According to a statement released to the media by Mrs Abigail Chaponda. the First Secretary for Press and Public Relations at Zambia High Commission in the United Kingdom, Mr. Nshindano said this when he addressed Zambians in the Diaspora during a virtual Town Hall meeting organised by ‘Zambians Together’ in partnership with the Zambian High Commission in London. The theme of the virtual meeting was “understanding Diaspora’s right to vote in Zambian elections.”
“The Constitution in its current state does not bar any Zambians from participating in any election. Any Zambian, who holds a green National Registration Card who is 18 years and above is eligible to participate in elections. Citizens in the Diaspora have the right to be able to exercise their vote but not in their respective Jurisdictions because there are certain impediments in the current form. Under the electoral process Act, the current regulations spell out that, firstly, for one to be able to vote, you need to present yourself before a registration officer, so that entails that one has to be physically there,” he said.
Mr. Nshindano said the Commission is committed to ensuring that Diaspora voting is actualized as the move would facilitate for upholding of human rights as enshrined in the Constitution, adding that the Commission has since started amending some guidelines to realign the electoral process with the Constitution.
Mr. Nshindano said the Commission is working closely with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to facilitate for Diaspora voting, stating that there was need to gather statistics to understand the population in the constituencies that the Commission has in the Diaspora.
He added that ECZ will also have to set up and gazette polling stations and the best jurisdictions would have to be Zambian Missions Abroad. “For us to do all this, the Missions Abroad will have to be included in the delimitation exercise so that they are electoral binding. There are also other administrative aspects that could also speak to legislative process within the regulations; different time zones need to be taken into consideration. I hope that parliament will be supportive of this course. It is critical also to note is that one of the key challenges we face as a Commission is stakeholders buying the issue of voting and in the Diaspora”.
Mr. Nshindano reaffirmed that Diaspora voting was not new to the Commission, stating that despite ECZ attempting to implement it in the previous elections, political parties has always expressed misgivings perceiving the move as a conduit to electoral fraud.
He has since appealed to all stakeholders to come on board and support the Commission in its quest to make electoral reforms.
“If you have been following, the moment it was announced that the Commission was considering both prison and Diaspora voting, there was a lot of push back on the part of the political parties with regards to that, indicating that is one avenue that the Commission and indeed the country would use for electoral malpractice. So, this is where now the voices of citizens in the Diaspora also becomes important for you to see that this is actualized, but also needs the stakeholders to be convinced that this is an important aspect”.
And Zambian’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom His Excellency Lt. Gen. Paul Mihova assured Zambians in the UK that the Mission will continue to facilitate dialogue between the Government and the Diaspora on key issues and thanked Mr. Nshindano for taking time to meet Zambians based in the UK virtually.
Meanwhile, giving a Vote of thanks, Zambians Together Policy and Advocacy Director Chibwe Henry said the Diaspora now understand that the mechanisms, and hopefully, the legislation, to permit Diaspora, who are dispersed around the globe, to participation in the elections, will be in place by 2026.
“We have had an extremely useful and informative evening today because we have learnt a great deal about the Zambian Diaspora’s Right to Vote in General Elections, which Mr. Nshindano has explained. So, for 2021, as Zambian Diaspora, we just need to make sure we present ourselves before the Registration Officer in Zambia.” She said.
Ms. Henry said Zambians Together, with support from the Zambia High Commission, is trying to look forward, to better understand the Government’s mechanisms for implementing the Diaspora Policy; a process that will be achieved through institutions like the Electoral Commission of Zambia.
“We will therefore be conducting a Diaspora-led collaborative in-depth review of the Policy, an exercise we believe is vital as 2026 is the same year in which the Diaspora Policy is set to be reviewed. We are highly indebted to both of these Government Institutions for supporting Zambians Together’s efforts to bridge the gap between the decision makers and the Diaspora community,” she said.
I would like to point out for clarity sakes that the right to vote only applies to those that hold zambian citizenship. If you lost your citizenship due to taking up your adopted country’s one prior to dual nationality, then please note that you are not eligible to vote until you get citizenship of Zambia back.
On a personal note I would rather diasporans were asked to travel back to vote as we know with upnd diasporans this system will be abused with fraud. We need to ensure we have very strict systems in place to prevent such. Kz
Kaizar
Director of higher intelligence in OP.
Entrepreneur, loving husband and father
I am also proposing or rather recommending that a patriotic or nationality test is introduced as a mandatory requirement before diasporans are allowed to vote. We don’t want cases where upnd voters create fake profiles with their crooked partners, the likes of ochukwekwe obasanjo and dami uchenekwe
Kaizar, what have the zed diaspora done to you. Just like you upped and set up a business in Dubai is also people’s choice to go and work abroad. Your disdain for diaspora is unhealthy! Just because someone is settled or working in another country does not make them any less Zambian than you!
ECZ if you have nothing to talk about , just shut your BIG month. Just explain how you have deleted an exist voters ‘register. You have come up with this fake online registration for PF voters only so that you rig the election. You u have no chance in hell to win this election square and fair.
ECZ if you have nothing to talk about , just shut your BIG month. Just explain how you have deleted an exist voters ‘register. You have come up with this fake online registration for PF voters only so that you rig the election. You u have no chance in hell to win this election square and fair
Tell that B.U.F.F.O.O.N, up there that we all have valid Zambian passports, valid NRC’s and will participate in the 2021 elections.
There is more to come in Zambia between now and August 2021. Just watch this space.
Ignore that impostor in the UK. Kaizer isnt here.
If Kaizer Zulu (UK) is an impostor, where then is the real Kaizer? Is the real Kaizer Zulu happy with the damaging posting the impostor is writing about? In my opinion, Kaizer the impostor may after all be a UPND cadre with an extreme aversion for real Kaizer so that when a change of Government comes to pass, some fanatics may descend on real Kaizer to mete out punishment.
I noticed with incredulity that the first President’s address had a sleight towards the diaspora. And now there is this assurance of a 2026 voting adoption for diasporans. While all this is happening, the specimen of bigotry continues to spew his anger at those who decided to make their home away from home. Is it a crime to live in the diaspora? Me thinks not. It is a welcome move to begin to see the diaspora as an extension of the country’s citizenry finally albeit slowly.
Am I the only one who reacts with a “Here we go again” with the institutionalized “COMMITTED” talk by government leaders? Prisoner voting can be rushed but that of the diaspora is bein cautiously handled.
No where in my comments have I shown any disdain for diasporans. Yes it’s not a lie that I pity and despise the evil upnd supporting diasporans. So only those that are hateful evil upnd diasporans will feel some type of way about my posts. I am entitled to an opinion over the rules my country intends to introduce. I doubt the British there would let someone who lost their citizenship have a say in the affairs of their country so why should we here in Zambia. Its simple, regain your citizenship then maybe you can have a chance to vote once we have made the final decision. We are in government to pr0tect the interests of your country. The interest of 17million zambian is more important than the interest of a handful of self entitled upnd diasporans. Now go ahead and spew your rubbish
2026 is far we want to vote next so we boot ouPf and Kaizer Zulu so iwe Nshindano this is irrelevant now.
Yes ba mushindano ..it’s better for prisoners to vote than diasporans who contribute a great amount of forex into circulation when they send money…this shows us how good you are not making pitlatrin decisions