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Only desperate people with bad motives would oppose PVT - TIZ

Only desperate people with bad motives would oppose PVT - TIZ
By Kombe Chimpinde
Fri 11 Mar. 2011, 04:01 CAT

TRANSPARENCY International Zambia says a few selfish people must not be allowed to destroy the credibility of a tool that provides an opportunity for greater transparency in the electoral process.

Commenting on the debate about the need for a Parallel Vote Tabulation (PVT) system for the purposes of transparency and accountability in this year's elections, TIZ executive director Goodwell Lungu said only desperate people with bad motives would oppose it.

“It is not enough for Zambians to cast their votes, they should protect them and ensure their choice is protected. This choice could be the ruling party or opposition political parties. For us it does not matter as PVT provides an avenue to safeguard their votes,” Lungu said.

PVT is a system of using independent bodies to tabulate a final election count from various polling centres to compare with official results. Lungu said PVT was a transparent way to authenticate the official outcome.

He said this was the reason the organisation was considering implementing PVT as way of supporting non-governmental organisations and other bodies that were advocating transparent elections.

“We openly declare that we are now seriously considering looking at the possibility of undertaking a PVT. We have already scheduled activities to train and deploy election monitors. Together with other CSOs, we intend to place monitors in all polling stations. In addition, we will set up mechanisms to collate all confirmed election results and verify these with what will be officially announced by ECZ,” Lungu said.

He said the organisation had followed with keen interest comments emanating from what he described as MMD NGOs that had been creating a false picture and understanding of PVT.

“TIZ is extremely worried that a wrong picture is being painted that a PVT in Zambia is illegal and can cause confusion. A PVT is an accepted election monitoring methodology which has been used in a number of countries to promote transparency and credibility in the electoral process. It is an undisputed fact that several stakeholders in Zambia have used this tool in previous elections including the ruling MMD,” Lungu said.

He questioned whether there was something amiss in the ruling MMD for it to claim it had not conducted a PVT.

“The MMD had a PVT in the 2008 presidential elections that announced a wrong projection made by then MMD campaign national co-ordinator for 2008 Presidential Elections Dr Mbita Chitala on October 31 that the current Republican President would win by 62,000 votes as reported in the Sunday Mail on November 2. Regrettably the ECZ remained mute and took no action,” he said.

Lungu said that as far as TIZ was concerned, the PVT it was considering undertaking was within the law. He clarified that the implementation of PVT by independent stakeholders would not usurp the powers of the ECZ, contrary to the impression that had been created.

The Electoral Code of Conduct, Statutory Instrument No. 90 of 2006, Regulation 14006 provides that, “All media shall disclose accurate election results and shall provide updates on the progress of the vote counting process and shall not speculate election results but shall broadcast confirmed election results as they are announced and published by presiding officers”.

And Guy Scott has alleged that the MMD government has foregone a referendum for fear of implementing the 50 per cent plus one vote threshold before this year's elections.

Scott, who is PF vice-president, said in an interview that the MMD feared that the outcome of a referendum before the elections would turn out to be a vote of no confidence in the MMD leadership.

“These people (MMD) are not courageous enough to go to a referendum. Even as we go to parliament to debate the Constitution of Zambia Bill we know that because they fear a referendum will become like a vote of no confidence in their governance, we are not going to get it (50 per cent plus one threshold), because they know they will automatically lose. That is why they are saying they want to save public funds by not having a referendum this year,” Scott said.

Commenting on PVT, he said there was need for the government to work out the mechanism if claims by President Banda that he would ensure free and fare elections were true.

Labels: GOODWELL LUNGU, TIZ, VOTERIGGING

posted by MrK @ 1:26 PM