The 2015 presidential elections had a suprise candidate called “Spoiled Ballot Paper”. This candidate performed strongly in this election and came third, with a whopping 17,313 votes. That number beat the number of votes obtained by the third placed person on the ballot paper, Edith Nawakwi, who polled 15,321.
This is the first time in the history of Zambia’s democratic elections that Spoiled ballot paper has managed to beat the third placed candidate.
I think we need alot of voter education
Education is a life long journey which cannot be attained over night. This is one thing most people in this nation do not understand. When a nation denies education to that rural boy and girl, it only takes 12 to 14 years down the line for him or her to be a voter. Then the disaster is born in the form of spoiled votes, voting based on Ichimwela (just dancing to some party song) and failure to have a critical mind which can make informed decisions.
Sad that a good proportion of our population fail to appreciate the link between poverty and education. Anyways, the journey is on, even learning of this record breaking is education in itself.
To arrest this debacle, the country needs to undertake some serious voter literacy work on a continuous basis. Doing it only in the run up to elections is not helpful. Such is what NGOs should be doing instead of just chewing funds meant for patients (HIV) inhumanely and indeed engaging subversive political acts of useless social contracts. Its time make themselves relevant on tangible issues instead being daily pushing the obvious in a rather acrimonious way.
Interesting how Mugabe can endorse Zambian elections as free and fair.Mugabe ‘s statement in it self alone, shows what asham these elections were. This is the man who has rigged elections in his own country and still come out to claim they were free and fair.
I think POLITICAL ENTROPY is getting higher in Africa than in most parts of the world.ENTROPY is a scientific term or measure that describes the trend of things increasingly moving towards disorder. It requires a lot of work to slow it down, but it can not be halted because that would mean the end of the world.
When democracy fails , the only way is that of a gun. Eurpeans and Americans have better democratic systems because they at one time used guns to settle scores. Fortunately Zambia has not reached that stage yet but soon…
@ 1.3 Wanzelu
You are seeing and judging Mugabe as Mugabe but not as chairman of SADC. Don’t throw the baby with the bath water.
Haha Only in zambia.. I love my country.
That Ballot paper has Cracked my ribs, at least he had the Courtesy to say Sorry to HH. Indeed we need Voter Education, the same Ballot did harm to PF as it was wasted when he meant to give it to Edgar.
Remember Mulyokelas instructions to his supporters……write Mulyokela on the ballot paper and vote for me…
Hai was looking for his name on the ballot paper and couldn’t see. Then got over 95% of spoiled ballot. Yes the spoiled ballot paper is muliokela’s vote
What tribe is that candidate to get so many votes?
His big tribe must have come out strongly for “one of their own”
NW Rhodesia and Barotseland will always vote UPND until marginalisation stops!!
NW Rhodesia is where the wealth lies……we cannot have the northern provinces who contribute nothing to Zambia’s coffer get the lions cake.
If HH leave the political scene and joins Edgar, another NW Rhodesian will arise and lead the fight of our cause!!!!
Imwe this not the subject
Nonsense, when are going to stop being childish and ready to face competition…?
funny BUT TRAGIC indeed. So ECL lost one vote due to this Kopala man’s ignorance?
Hahahahaha! Mwefina Zambia mwalipena!
That is deliberate acts of irresponsible citizen lacking sense of seriousness.
Its clear that the voter was acting with hate on sum candidate yet with no confidence.
That is how frustrated and hope-less Zambians have become.
Voter education may not be a factor in such instances because the poor fela knows what to do rightly but chooses to make fun of the situation.
North Western Rhodesia, has 45 tribes amongst them Mbowe, Nkoya, Goba, We, Lenje, Mbwela, Lushange, Ndululu, Simaa, Shanjo, Mashi, Kwandi, Mwenyi, Nyengo, Kwandi, Lamba, Sala, Ila, Lumbu, Soli, Toka, Subiya, Totela, Lukolwe, Leya, Lima, Kaonde, Lunda, Chokwe, Lovale, Lamba, Tonga, Lumbu, Seba and others.
These peoples cannot be suppressed!!
Besides we are the ones who produce the wealth of Zambia.
HH is our messiah…..and we shall rally around him till we attain dignity.
UPND has never been voted for in Northern regions. And you claim there is no tribalism.
Calm down. Where as ECL was getting 0 vote against 8,000 votes for HH in that part of Zambia, HH was even getting am 2000+ in the area you despise so much. In fact if HH was getting Zeros in the so called Bemba Land, Lungu would have been sworn in last Thursday. Just work hard
Calm down man ALL WILL BE WELL though we are still mourning and grizzling. God loves Zambia.
ECL wont reach far !.
The people of Northwestern province must work up and vote for development. You have never given the PF a chance. You give your vote to the people who have no capacity to develop your area. As long as there is no change of thinking your remain complaining and nothing will happen. You remain with no roads, no universities, no stadiums, no colleges. In the meantime you money will be going elsewhere. Think think and think!!! You wasted your vote on the loser…..lets what he will do for. The ka chap has even retired to his farm .
While the Tongas where voting in huge numbers for their own, the people of northwestern province rejected their own Sondashi formula. I cannot believe Dr. Sondashi failed to get past 2 votes in some of the constituents in North western province.
Northwesterners will always remain backward as long as they keep wasting their vote. Voting for HH will not bring development to this province. You must as well keep your dust, your bad roads. Better we spend your money in Western province were Inonge Wina has given massive support to the winning team.
My brother @salamati. No one is suppressing us in northwestern but ourselves. We have rejected development by voting for the wrong people!
Rubbish rants for a dull and frustrated person. Continue behaving like that and be assured that even in 2016 you will lose . Your HH will lose for the fifth straight time. Just mourn in peace but Zambians are celebrating.
Ulicipuba iwe. You can see so many tribes when there exist only 3 or 4??
Get a live you villager. Dreams like yours are signs of approaching insanity
Zambia is an open cheque – market yourself properly and you will succeed. If you go on complaining about tribe you will forever be coming no 2, no 3 etc. Most of the people on CB & Lusaka who did not vote for HH are actually for Southern etc provinces. HH got the tribal vote from villages not town
True there are more tongas in Lusaka and CB but id not vote for HH. More easterners were tribal in voting and deed. Bemba’s too. So do not vilify tonga’s. In any case they had a choice. Why do you want them to get someone else’s choice?
All spoiled votes were meant for Poor Peoples Party (PPP) which was not on the ballot paper. Viva Muliokela he came third.
People must be educated on voting principles. This person was so excited that he was voting for Edigar and yet he was spoiling the vote. Please educate such masses.
Peace and Prosperity to Mother Zambia.
LOL! This voter cracked my ribs.
There is nothing wrong about spoiling a ballot. Its a bout a protest. Like the one displayed up, the voter saw things and hated a candidate. He indicated both! So he hates both candidates. Now worries. Leave voters decide how they use their ballot power
The illiteracy level in Zambia is worrying
No weapon fashioned against EL The Head of State shall prosper
Perfectionist
Lungu 2021
HOW DO YOU EXPECT THINGS TO NORMAL WHEN YOU HAVE FUN NAMES LIKE NAMUSHAKENDE AND MUGUBUDU? LOL
I hope you know that its not the heighest number of spoilt balot papers to be seen in an election. In 2001 elections, there were over 28000 spoilt balot papers, so that is an improvement somehow.
What was the voter turnout?
What do you expect when allow cows to vote in order to beef up you numbers?
The method used by ECZ in this ellection coused the record increase of the number of spoiled votes. Stage number 1. The verifiction of the NRC and the voters card. Stage 2. The painting of tbe tbumb. This should be the last stage. This is becouse, the only ink on the ballot paper should be an X in the box. But becouse of the ink obtaid from sfage 2 which is in most cases applied on the right thumb , was in this ellection painted inside the palm at the foot or base of the thumb which leans on the ballot as one marks an X in the box and the palm leaves another print . So, stage 2 should be the last stage in the voting process to avoid any other marking or painting on the bsllot.
Those were Muliokela’s votes mwebantu !!!
@Mei Matungu, don’t worry about him please! Alibe Nzelu!
Please give all spoiled ballot papers to the baby who is crying foul and see if he will win!
That was a waste of money