It’s nice to vote, says Banda

It’s nice to vote, says Banda
Written by Christopher Miti in Chipata and Masuzyo Chakwe in Lusaka
Friday, October 31, 2008 3:45:51 PM

VICE-President Rupiah Banda yesterday said it is always good for him to exercise his voting right. And Dr Kenneth Kaunda urged Zambians to keep the peace as the electoral process goes on.

Vice-President Banda, who cast his vote at Nyakutwa Middle Basic School in Chipata Central Constituency, said: "I really feel good and that I have done so here where I used to live and exercised my right all the time from here, it's nice to be here."

Vice-President Banda also told reporters that they should be assured that he voted for himself.

The acting President who was voter number 68 at Nyakutwa Middle Basic School voted at about 09:04 hours.

He was accompanied by his wife Thandiwe, lands minister Bradford Machila, Eastern Province MMD chairperson Kennedy Zulu, Chipata Central MMD member of parliament Lameck Mangani, Chipangali MMD member of parliament Vincent Mwale and other senior government officials.

After voting, Vice-President Banda escorted his wife to Anoya Boys High School polling station where she cast her ballot at around 09:33 hours.

Thandiwe was voter number 103.

Vice-President Banda later proceeded to his Chasimpha farm where he led his two sons Nenani and Dingani in laying wreaths at his mother's burial site.

Nenani and Dingani were not around during the burial of their grandmother, Sara Zulu, on June 26 this year.

Meanwhile, most polling stations in Chipata and Petauke generally had a low turnout of voters.

By about 11:00 hours, over 300 people had cast their vote at Kapata Polling Station and more than 100 people had voted at Civic Centre by about 07:00 hours.

In Petauke, only 329 had cast their vote at Petauke Primary School at about 11:00 hours out of the registered number of 2,176. At Mizyu, out of 1,595 registered voters only 357 had voted by 11:00 hours. Out of 351 only 84 had voted at Mbeza and out of 658 registered voters only 148 had cast their votes at Kawere by midday.

And speaking after he cast his vote at Woodlands A Basic School, Dr Kaunda said he hoped things would go well throughout the country.

"So let everybody be happy, vote happily and keep the peace," he said.

When asked to comment on the statements from some defense forces that they were ready for people that were planning violence after the elections, Dr Kaunda said they were peacekeepers and that was their duty.

Former president Frederick Chiluba, who arrived at Saint Mary's with his wife Regina just before 11:00 hours, first went to the headmaster's office where he held a private meeting for a few minutes.

He then went to cast his vote with Regina.

He then briefly chatted with Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Ambassador to Zambia Johnson Baelongandi wa Binana.

When asked about the election, Chiluba who first spoke to a foreign media in Swahili said he had no comment.

"I am rushing home to read my Bible, it is waiting I left it on a certain chapter I must go and finish it," Chiluba said.

Former Zambia National Commercial Bank (ZNCB) managing director Samuel Musonda said the electoral process was good.

"But we have to wait till the final result is announced. You know the whole process, voting is just part of it and then the whole process up to announcing the results that's what will indicate as to the integrity of the process and also as to the outcome," he said.

Musonda said all Zambians were expected to go and vote, as all the presidential candidates were Zambians.

Voting in some areas started on a good note while in some areas the turnout was low.

A check at Woodlands B at 06:30 hours found people already queuing up.

At Vera Chiluba Basic School, voters, mostly men, were lined up as early as 03:00 hours. By 05:00 hours, there were over 400 people outside. The gates were opened at about 06:00 hours with long queues.

The process was orderly as the men and women had different queues.

Some people were turned back for not carrying their National Registration Cards as they had either their driver's license and passports.

The voter turnout at Saint Mary was quite slow as the polling agents were waiting for people.

There were also some confusion, as some people did not understand the process of lining up in alphabetical order.

At Kabulonga Boys High School, the voter turnout was good.

Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ) secretary general Reverend Suzanne Matale said the process was slow but very smooth.