Vice President Mutale Nalumango has defended the use of ballot papers bearing the date of 15th September, 2022 in the Kwacha and Kabushi parliamentary by-elections.
Pictures of the ballot papers in the two by-elections have been shared widely on Social Media bearing the date 15th September, 2022.
Responding to a question from PF Lunte Member of Parliament Mutotwe Kafwaya who wanted to know why the Electoral Commission of Zambia used old ballots for the two elections, Mrs. Nalumango said the legal battles that surrounded the two elections put the commission in an awkward position to make any amends.
Mrs. Nalumango has also dismissed allegations that the use of old ballot papers was a ploy to bar former Kabushi MP Bowman Lusambo and former Kwacha MP Joseph Malanji from taking part in the polls.
And Mrs. Nalumango said the UPND administration has continued to respect the Tenets of democracy owing to records both locally and on the international scene.
Mrs. Nalumango was responding to a question from leader of the opposition in parliament Brian Mundubile who wanted to know why the UPND had obliterated all institutions of governance such as the ECZ.
Meanwhile, Radio Phoenix reports that the Kwacha and Kabushi parliamentary by-elections have been characterized by low voter turnout.
In kwacha constituency, the majority of the 91 polling stations had not yet reached 50 voters as at 11:00 hours this morning, with over 64,000 eligible and registered voters.
Most of the polling stations visited by Phoenix News in some of the 7 wards among them Ipusukulo, Musonda, Kwacha, Lubwa and Riverside wards, were yet to finish the first strip of ballot papers that has a total of 50 with the highest, 43 voters at valley view stream 02, which has a total of 745 registered voters.
For kwacha resident Manford Mwenda, the election has seen huge voter apathy because most residents feel their candidate of choice is not participating in the election.
And speaking after casting his vote at valley view school at 10:35 hours, UPND candidate Charles Mulenga lamented the low voter turnout and attributed it to a lack of sensitization by the Electoral Commission of Zambia-ECZ- and a lack of understanding by the electorate that staying away only disadvantages them.
And Leadership Movement candidate Professor Oliver Silumbe says it will be challenging for whoever will win the election to work with the people because of how the election has been handled from the postponement, alleged unprofessionalism from the judiciary, selfish motives by some politicians and a lack of sensitization of the electorate, all leading to low voter turnout.
Economic Freedom Fighters candidate Ashan Jayawardene did not cast her vote as she is not a registered voter in kwacha while independent candidate Lawrence Kasonde is scheduled to vote at 14:00 hours at CBU with Shadreck Mumba of the united prosperous and peaceful Zambia not reachable by broadcast time.
And in Kabushi Constituency, some of the electorate talked to say they have decided to shun the elections because their preferred candidate was not taking part in the polls while some say they have voted in order to have representation in parliament.
UPND candidate Bernard Kanengo cast his vote at 7:30hrs at Kaloko polling station, Independent candidate Richard Kalasa is not a registered voter in Kabushi Constituency while independent candidate Alfred Yombwe and leadership movement Osias Telela were unreachable by broadcast time.
And Non-Governmental Organization Center for Governance President Patrick Mutanga has described the low turnout as a silent boycott by the electorate in Kabushi Constituency.
Mr. Mutanga has also expressed concern over the lack of monitoring agencies for three participating candidates saying only non-governmental organization observers and UPND are present in polling stations.
The biggest ldiots to eveer govern zambia
Everything about these elections is illegal and the old cow can’t see this for sure?
How can you be proud of going to parliament with:
1) 500 votes out of more than 60,000 registered voters
2) Using outdated ballots
3) Contemptuously disobeying a court order
3) Eliminating genuine challenge.
1) the people are happy with the UPND GRZ and see no reason to vote……..they mostly vote for change
2)why waiste money on new ballots if the information is the same ? PF thinks money GRZ grows on trees
3)The CC ruled……..the constitution was followed.
4) @ #NoCriminalsInParliment
Spaka@ 2.1 which people are you talking about? Even people from your area are now having doubts and wondering what it was all about voting for a system that so soon is showing signs of being worse than the hooligans that left last year.
You are delusional………
UPND is delivering………….
By 2025, there will be almost unanimous clamour for UPND and the bally……..
Spaka is a pure UPND praisesinger. He will always defend any6thing to do with UPND and HH even if it’s wrong. Today’s elections in Kabushi and Kwacha are a total sham and Spaka is there defending them. There is nothing wrong in advising someone you love when he goes wrong. He will appreciate you more than just praising him all the time even when you can see that there is something wrong here.
From our observations on the ground………….
Zambians don’t want criminals near the echelons of power…………..
And most of PF are criminal suspects…………
@ #NoCriminalsInParliament………
Bally will be the most difficult president to remove pamupando because of his unbridled appetite for power. He’s got Americans on his side who won’t allow it until their business is finished in Zambia and by the end of 3 years in power, he will be a full fledged dictator.
As long as he delivers development and roots put criminality and the unbridled PF corruption and decay of zambia,
HH will be voted into office again……….
ECL was worse, he ran for a third term, confessed to handover power to himself, danced to Alebwelelapo tune and lost big time.
Nothing wrong as long as you have followed the constitution. A constitution which was signed with eyes closed by the PF. Utilize it to the maximum ba UPND. Whats good for the goose is good for everyone .
Yeah, a Constitution that UPND thugs demanded that it be signed/enacted without alterations or else, do you even remember the climate and circumstances under which the current Constitution signed and became law? Or you have conveniently forgotten. UPND thugs almost lynched Winter Kabimba when he did not move fast be enough to take the document to Parliament for necessary readings. He warned about the lacunas in the Constitution but his hand was forced by pressure from the Opposition and so called nongovernmental civil society organizations. Have you forgotten about all that? And this is what led to ECL saying the now famous phrase, because you by people wanted it so bad that he didn’t care what lacunas it so contained. At least let us be honest for once and not disregard history only…
Yeah, a Constitution that UPND demanded it be signed/enacted without alterations, or else! Do you remember the climate and circumstances under which the current Constitution was signed and became law? Or you have conveniently forgotten. UPND cadres almost lynched Winter Kabimba when he did not move quickly enough to take the document to Parliament for necessary readings and enactment. He warned about the lacunas in the document that have now come to haunt us. Sata died and Winter Kabimba was no longer Justice Minister. ECL took over and UPND threatened that if the new Constitution was not passed and enacted into law by the following elections in 2015, they will not take part in the elections and chaos and mayhem would reign. So it was the pressure from the Opposition Parties and the so…
Continue…
called civil society organizations. Does Linda Kasonde, Lora (sp) Miti, and others ring a bell to you? Have you forgotten about all that? And this is what led to ECL signing the Constitution into law and saying the now infamous phrase….”I will sign it with my eyes closed.” Because he was being accused of being scared to hold the the 2015 election under the new Constitution. This is what happened. At least let us be honest for once and not disregard history when it suits our narrative.
@ #NoCriminalsInParliment…….
There should be zero tolerance for criminals any where near the corridors of power…………
It’s very easy to predict an average Zambian politician. The UPND had decided to go ahead with this election at whatever cost. They have sacrificed the ECZ and the ConCourt just to eliminate Malanji and Lusambo but they will face Zambians soon. I already talked about ballot papers when Palan Mulonda refused to grant Lusambo and Malanji an injunction. Anyway it’ll come to pass and unfortunately many will be bruised.
The criminal enterprise called PF headed by lungu had very long lasting traumatic experiences suffered by Zambians of all walks of life………….
So traumatic are those experiences ………
that rooting out PF and banishing it to dustbins of history seems the right thing to do for most zambians…………
Even most of their supporters agree, as long as things are done within the confines of the law, and development is being delivered , let PF dissappear………..
Next they have to come up with the $3 million paid to them by Glencore to disadvantage Zambians
The low turnout is a very strong signal of a boycott. People vote when they have a candidate of their choice on the ballot paper. The few that have voted have their candidates participating. The many that have stayed away see no leadership in those names.
We do not vote for change always, as Spaka suggests, but we also vote for continuity.
very shameful shame shame shame. And you NGO’s come out of slumber and stop begging money from donars money to be used to fight inhuman rights,infringements of human rights.Courts do your job profesionally zambians are not foolish they are watching and this is very embarrasing.Church organisations the voice of the defenceless,powerless and hopelessness people were are you,why are hidding come out from the woods and speak out.Be bold and couraous and let not one intimidate you .SHAME SHAME SHAME.Using wrong ballot papers this is pure rigging and who verified the ballot papers.zambia is for all wait and see.
very shameful shame shame shame. And you NGO’s come out of slumber and stop begging money from donars money to be used to fight inhuman rights,infringements of human rights.Courts do your job profesionally zambians are not foolish they are watching and this is very embarrasing.Church organisations the voice of the defenceless,powerless and hopelessness people were are you,why hidding come out from the woods and speak out.Be bold and couraous and let not one intimidate you .SHAME SHAME SHAME.Using wrong ballot papers this is pure rigging and who verified the ballot papers.zambia is for all wait and see.
very shameful shame shame shame. And you NGO’s come out of slumber and stop begging money from donars money to be used to fight inhuman rights,infringements of human rights.Courts do your job profesionally zambians are not foolish they are watching and this is very embarrasing.Church organisations the voice of the defenceless,powerless and hopelessness people were are you,why hidding come out from the woods and speak out.Be bold and couraous and let no one intimidate you .SHAME SHAME SHAME.Using wrong ballot papers, this is pure rigging and who verified the ballot papers.zambia is for all wait and see.
very shameful shame shame shame. And you NGO’s come out of slumber and stop begging money from donars money to be used to fight inhuman rights,infringements of human rights.Courts do your job profesionally zambians are not foolish they are watching and this is very embarrasing.Church organisations the voice of the defenceless,powerless and hopelessness people were are you,why hidding come out from the woods and speak out.Be bold and courageous and let no one intimidate you .SHAME SHAME SHAME.Using wrong ballot papers, this is pure rigging and who verified the ballot papers.zambia is for all wait and see.
Upnd is a disgrace