Maravi

UPND warns of instability if MMD rigs Oct 30 election

UPND warns of instability if MMD rigs Oct 30 election
By Maluba Jere, Sheikh Chifuwe and Kelvin Tembo
Tuesday October 14, 2008 [04:00]

UPND presidential campaign committee director Ackson Sejani yesterday warned that there will be no peace and stability in Zambia should the MMD government rig the October 30 presidential election.

And the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) will pay Uniprint, the company printing ballot papers, over US $2 million.

Meanwhile Transparency International Zambia (TIZ) executive director Goodwell Lungu has urged the ECZ to be careful with the way it was handling the issue of ballot papers because it was too sensitive.

In an interview, Sejani warned that an election that lost credibility created a recipe for instability in a country. He said suspicious activities of the ECZ were threatening the peace and stability Zambia has enjoyed since independence.

“The rigging antics of the MMD must be brought to an end in this election,” Sejani said. “If any election loses credibility such as this is doing now, then a perfect recipe for instability is created.”

Sejani said there were already too many blind spots in the electoral process and that transparency was questionable.

He said transporting ballot papers in two batches and the printing of extra ballot papers undermined the transparency of the forthcoming election, saying an election that was not transparent lost credibility.

“…Where certain activities escape the full glare of all stakeholders, this raises questions of transparency,” Sejani said.

“Printing of extra ballot papers, suspicious transportation arrangements of the same ballot papers, the suspicious presence at the same time in South Africa of suspicious characters suffering from chronicle rigging diseases.”

And Sejani warned that a third stolen election would not be stomached by Zambians. He said although the UPND had been accused of being docile, docility had a limit, adding that it would not accept any fraudulent election.

“In 2001, Zambians had their votes stolen from them by the MMD. In 2006, Zambians were again cheated and an election stolen from them,” Sejani said. “In 2008, we must be ready to die in defence of our vote. UPND is ready. Banda can only win a rigged election.”

Sejani said the UPND had reached a point of no return in terms of fighting for their vote, saying they were aware of the desperation in the MMD to win the October 30 election using whatever means.

“If they are used to seeing Zambians being cheated, they are going to see different Zambians this time. UNPD has crossed the rubicon,” Sejani said. “If the MMD, together with the ECZ think the Zambians will just sit and watch them, they must think again.”


Sejani advised the ECZ to be professional in their work, adding that they had a duty to serve the nation diligently.

“The Electoral Commission of Zambia has an urgent responsibility to wash its hands clean by telling Zambians in clear terms that they are not part of a criminally-inclined gang in MMD that wants to rule Zambia at any cost, whether by hook or crook,” said Sejani. “Electoral commission of Zambia is in the dock.”

And four ECZ officials on Friday beefed up the team witnessing the printing of presidential, parliamentary and local government by-elections ballot papers in Durban. The officers included deputy director of finance Mwelwa Chibichabo, accounts officer Joel Sikazwe, Stores officer Gloria Thandeo and head of procurement Bwalya Mutambo. All of them were introduced on Friday afternoon at the Uniprint plant, the company printing the ballot papers.

Public relations officer Sylvia Bwalya disclosed yesterday that ECZ would pay in excess of US $2 million for the printing of ballot papers, registers, booths, posters, tables and chairs for the October 30 elections.

"You are aware that the printing of ballot papers is US$400,000, but there are other documents and materials that are required to be printed. So far, the Commission has paid US$1.5 million and we have to pay the balance before the elections," she said.

Bwalya explained that the officials who travelled to Durban were expected to verify the order as huge amounts of money were involved. She said the officials will remain in Durban until today.

And UPND chairperson for security Capt Cosmas Moono wondered why such a delegation was sent to Durban when the printing was completed.

Uniprint Special Projects Consultant Vik Vaid said the parliamentary and local government by-elections ballot papers could not be dispatched together with presidential ballot papers because they were still being stitched.

He expressed optimism that all the ballot papers would be in Lusaka by tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Lungu said the way the ECZ was handling information on ballot papers raised a lot of suspicions. He said the last minute changes ECZ made were making people suspect things that might not be there.

“It is very difficult to understand what they are saying; they are talking about shortage of fuel in South Africa as a reason for leaving the other ballot papers, who can believe that?” questioned Lungu.

He said information of any changes needed to be made available in time for transparency to prevail.
Lungu also advised ECZ to take concerns from stakeholders seriously.


“We have achieved a lot as civil society and it should not be wasted,” said Lungu.

Labels: ACKSON SEJANI, MMD, UPND

posted by MrK @ 8:14 AM