The Anti-Voter Apathy Project (AVAP) says it is confident that there will be no voter apathy in the August 12, 2021 elections following its many voter sensitisation initiatives in most parts of the country.
AVAP Executive Director Richwell Mulwani said in an interviews that the organisation has, with support from the UNDP, been carrying out a number of voter education programmes since May 2021.
Mr. Mulwani said this was done through various platforms and with a sole purpose of countering voter apathy.
He said AVAP has since seen a positive response from the electorate.
Mr. Mulwani said according to AVAP reports on the ground, voters are eager to cast their votes as opposed to false reports that they were likely to shun the elections due to fear of contracting Covid-19 and the violence witnessed in some parts of the country.
He said in addition to the already ongoing initiatives such as radio programmes, youth conferences, posters, and social media interactions, AVAP has introduced new innovations such as the mobile video unit show and quick vote platform.
He disclosed that the two initiatives are meant to provide sensitisation to the electorate on the importance of voting through drama performances, which depict the entire voting process to ensure that voters do not get confused when casting their votes.
“Today as I am speaking, we are flagging off the mobile video unit show starting in Monze and ending in Livingstone until voting day. We want to sensitise the voters to go out in numbers to vote and also provide them with all the necessary information that they should know to ensure that people are not lost in the electoral process,’’ he said.
Mr. Mulwani explained that owing to the huge number of rejected ballots totaling 85,000 in the 2016 general elections, AVAP has this year embarked on the quick vote platform initiative aimed at sensitising rural voters especially on the correct use of the ballot paper.
He reiterated that AVAP has a strong desire to succeed in its voter education agenda.
He said the project has since purchased bicycles and megaphones to help in the exercise as well as strategically engaging differently abled voter educators to engage the disabled people to ensure that no one is left behind.
Mr. Mulwani further said it is evident that the initiatives have borne good results as there has been feedback from voters who had lost their voters cards but were found and collected.
He has since appealed to the electorate to turn up in large numbers on Thursday, August 12, 2021and exercise their constitutional right to vote.
This heading, what does it tell us?…..that the people want nothing but change. Though I feel terribly sad that a lot of our fellow citizens in Southern, Western and North-western regions have been disenfranchised by the most brutal regime in the history of this country. Infact it is tantamount to rigging. How does the population of voters increase in some areas and in others it decreases?? It defies logic. Whatever the final results of this Thursday’s elections an investigation or even a commission of inquiry should be instituted to find out exactly what led to reduced voter population in the said regions
@Monitor, so you have already decided the elections in your head? I think if UPND win these elections they will still go court to find out why they won. Mind boggling .
The answer is simple you did not encourage your stronghold to register like you did in 2015. It also tells you that 2016 elections were rigged in the areas you mention. Now you have another chance carry very registered voter to the polling station
Yeah!
More than anything in this world. In mass people have to vote.
In mass they realize whats at stake.
LUAPULA OYE!
LUSAKA OYE!
MUCHINGA OYE!
WESTERN OYE!
NORTH WESTERN OYE!
EASTERN OYE!
CENTRAL OYE!
SOUTHERN OYE!
NORTHERN OYE!
COPALA OYE!
Vote Patriotism, vote ONE ZAMBIA ONE NATION, Vote Prosperity, Vote God fearing, Vote good morals, Vote For Opportunies. Vote for tangible development. Vote love. You do this, you’re my BFFL. My buddy! My dude.
With HH and UPND projected for landslide victory and it will be interesting to see how those who were charged with public responsibilities abusing their offices and abetting wrong doing will account for their actions and should show cause why they should not be charged. We have witnessed our friends in public office amass wealth as though they just go to scoop money from some fountains of money. One would even be tempted to go and consult some NYANGAs to cast BAD LUCKY on their faces.
Vote for PF HH will destroy the country