Maravi

L/stone residents protest over ECZ cargo

L/stone residents protest over ECZ cargo
Written by Edwin Mbulo and Mutale Kapekele in Livingstone
Wednesday, October 29, 2008 3:24:00 PM

POLICE in Livingstone yesterday fired teargas to disperse irate residents that were demanding that two trucks carrying suspected ballot papers for the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) be opened for them to see the cargo.

This was after word went round that two trucks from South Africa belonging to Westmead Logistics en route to Lusaka were carrying ballot papers.

A check at the weighbridge revealed that the two Volvo trucks registration numbers ND127-205 and ND154-707 arrived in Livingstone on Monday at the 15:07 hours and were weighed and issued with weighbridge certificate numbers 0009680 and 0009684.

The trucks, driven by a Mr Banda of Kafue and Lackson Mwitangeti of Libala in Lusaka, were detained at the weighbridge until after 17:00.

However, UPND officials arrived with the police and instructed the drivers of the trucks to drive back to the Zambia Revenue Authourity (ZRA) office where they would be cleared by ZRA officers.

By 20:00 hours, word had spread in the tourist city that two trucks carrying suspected ballot papers were parked at ZRA.

There was tight police security around the trucks and a group of PF and UPND members chanting 'we want change' slogans pledged to sleep at the port office to make sure that the trucks did not leave Livingstone.

Yesterdat morning, scores of people gathered and there was commotion as people demanded that the trucks to be opened for them to prove.

The police had a tough time to control the people who were eager to see the cargo.

However, police sent reinforcements and by 12:00 hours they fired teargas at the residents to disperse.

UPND provincial chairman Francis Hakayobe explained that he received a message from his friend in South Africa alerting him about the two trucks carrying suspected ballot papers destined for Lusaka through the Kazungula border.

"We trailed the trucks from Botswana where they entered through Tlokweng gate. What surprised us is that when they got into Livingstone, instead of going to the Zambia Revenue Authority port office for scanning, they turned left at the junction of Musi-oa-Tunya and Sesheke Road and started to head for Lusaka. As they were being, checked at the weighbridge we intercepted the papers and requested the RDA officers to impound them," Hakayobe said.

According to a letter signed by ECZ director Dan Kalale dated September 18, 2008, the supply and delivery of 40,000 lanterns and 70,000 batteries was to be given urgent attention as they were urgently needed for the presidential elections scheduled for October 30, 2008.

And according to African Cargo Management manifest obtained by The Post, the trucks were caring camping lamps for the ECZ supplied by Copenhagen Election A/S of room B1, 17 floor Yangpu Commercial Building No. 5, Anshan Road in Shanghai, China.

The total cost of the camping lamps was US$81,000 and while the lanterns were pegged at US$102,600 according to invoice numbers E2008-062-01 and E-2008-065-06 10/08.

However, Livingstone Patriotic Front (PF) secretary Nelly Mwamba wondered why the trucks were not cleared by the ZRA before proceeding to Lusaka.

"If you check this documentation there trucks were loaded each with 18,000 camping lamps on 22nd September, 2008 and only entered Botswana through Tlokweng gate on 26th October, 2008 and Zambia through the Kazungula boarder the following day. How possible is that it can take one month to transport goods from Durban? This is purely an attempt to rig the elections," she said.

Mwamba also wondered why the ZRA assistant commissioner in Livingstone refused to have the trucks physically inspected but insisted on having them scanned.

"We have had a meeting with him and Southern Province commanding officer Lemmy Kajoba but he is insisting that permission to open the trucks can only be given by the ECZ. We on the other hand had accepted to accompany the trucks to Lusaka where they say a physical inspection would be held but our members who slept here are saying that they want to see what is inside the trucks," she said.

Mwamba also wondered why one of the papers, handwritten, stated that: "for offloading contact V.J Lusaka."

"There is this handwritten instruction to the drivers that they should contact V.J of Lusaka on 095-5-774191 and when we try to call the number, the phone is switched off," Mwamba said.

And according to one truck driver from Kazungula who sought anonymity, the drivers of the Westmead Logistics trucks skipped the queue saying they were carrying examination papers for the Examinations Council of Zambia.

PF secretary general Edward Mumbi said the incident of the trucks being impounded in Livingstone was a clear testimony of a ploy to rig the elections by the MMD.

But ECZ later yesterday said the trucks were carrying lanterns and camping lamps that would be used during the presidential elections and not ballot papers.

ECZ appealed for calm among the people, saying arrangements would be made to ensure that the trucks were accompanied by political parties' representatives and police to ensure transparency.

Labels: ECZ, ELECTIONS

posted by MrK @ 3:25 PM