Maravi

3 NGOs note flaws in Solwezi Central poll

3 NGOs note flaws in Solwezi Central poll
By Zumani Katasefa in Kitwe
Tue 24 Nov. 2009, 04:00 CAT

THREE civil society organisations have observed that the just-ended Solwezi Central parliamentary by-election was not free and fair.

In a joint statement signed and issued by Caritas Zambia Solwezi chairperson Fredrick Nabanda, SACCORD chairperson Theresa Chewe and Anti-Voter Apathy Project (AVAP) executive director Bonnie Tembo, the three organisations noted the poll was characterised by the lack of capacity on the part of the Electoral Commission of Zambia to manage the elections effectively.

They noted with disappointment the late announcement of the overall results because certain results from Kandakanda and Kyafukuma polling stations had delayed.

"We are also very concerned with the management of elections by the ECZ vis-a-vis the engagement of presiding officers and polling assistants. In most cases, the low calibre of these ECZ officials who were unable to tally results, make decisive decisions, for example, a presiding officer at Zambia Agriculture Christian Training School (ZACTS) who could not make a decision on whether to allow two voters who had altered their cards to vote or not," read the statement.

The organisations also noted that the shifting of polling stations without prior notification to the electorate was also another issue of concern.

"The issue of unsealed ballot boxes has continued to recur and this causes suspicion among the electorate. This is the breach of the electoral act," read the statement.

They also observed that during the campaign period, the constituency experienced fuel shortage but selected taxis which were hired by MMD were drawing 10 litres of fuel per day from a named filling station for campaign purposes.

"Generally, vote buying was observed in the use of government resources to coerce the electorate. The buying of voters’ cards in a number of reported incidences could have attributed to the low voter turn out and disfranchising voters," read the statement.

Meanwhile, UPND Copperbelt provincial chairman Elisha Matambo has warned that the PF-UPND pact would dismantle any tactic the MMD would use to weaken the pact.

In an interview yesterday, Matambo said the MMD should realise that time was up for them to leave power.

"Vernon Mwaanga should not think that any strategies that the MMD will put in place to dismantle the pact will work, they should know that time for them to pack up has come," said Matambo.

Matambo said the MMD should not even waste their time thinking about putting tactics that would see the pact crumble.

"The best think they should do is to start packing up their bags. Things have changed, people have clearly said that they no longer need the MMD. Time has come, we will no longer entertain any tactics to dismantle the pact," Matambo said.

He said during the just ended Solwezi Central by-election, the MMD tried to use a lot of tactics aimed at defeating the pact by way of stealing votes but they failed.

Matambo said Zambians need a responsible government.

Labels: BY-ELECTIONS, NGOs

posted by MrK @ 2:03 AM