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Take lead in lobbying for electoral reforms, SACCORD urges ECZ

Take lead in lobbying for electoral reforms, SACCORD urges ECZ
By Ernest Chanda
Thu 11 Feb. 2010, 04:01 CAT

SOUTHERN Africa Centre for Constructive Resolution of Disputes (SACCORD) executive director Lee Habasonda has called on the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to take the lead in lobbying for electoral reforms.

Commenting yesterday on Women and Law in Southern Africa's submission to the parliamentary committee on legal affairs, governance, human rights and gender matters that ECZ should be seen as a non-partisan watchdog of a democratic electoral process, Habasonda observed that the current scenario had favoured men more than women.

He said the first-past-the-post system had disadvantaged many members of society.

“We agree with the view that our electoral system needs to be reformed to cater for minority groups. It may not be women alone, we also have the youths and disabled persons who are marginalised. We would like to see the country move to a mixed member proportional representation. This represents even the smallest section of our society,” Habasonda said. “In fact the system we are using encourages conflict in the sense that once you lose an election, you remain outside the governance system for five years. But this should not be the case in a civilised society. This first-past-the-post system has failed Zambians, we therefore need a system that would unite them. ECZ should not wait for anyone to lobby for them. Instead they should be in the forefront lobbying Parliament and the Executive to repeal our electoral laws. This will also ensure their impartiality as an electoral body. They must be seen to push for these reforms."

On Tuesday Women and Law in Southern Africa acting national coordinator Hope Kasese-Khumalo called on stake holders to give ECZ expert advice and money so that they could be independent of government.

Khumalo said the first-past-the-post voting system also had an adverse effect on women aspiring for political office.

"The first-past-the-post system has globally shown to be more unfriendly to women because constituents vote for the party and not necessarily the candidate, and in this mostly patriarchal society, most political parties put forward very little women," submitted Khumalo.

Labels: ECZ, SACCORD

posted by MrK @ 5:49 PM