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Parallel vote tabulation is not illegal - AVAP

Parallel vote tabulation is not illegal - AVAP
By Florence Bupe
Sun 13 Mar. 2011, 04:01 CAT

THERE is no law that bars any individual or organisation from conducting parallel vote tabulation, says Anti-Voter Apathy Project executive director Bonnie Tembo. And AVAP has submitted that Parliament should retain the vote of no confidence clause in the Constitution for non-performing members of parliament.

In an interview, Tembo said those opposing the implementation of the parallel vote tabulation (PVT) system should give clear reasons for their fears. “There is no law which bars any individual or organisation from undertaking parallel vote tabulation.

There is no law which talks about arresting individuals or organisations who undertake parallel vote tabulation during an election,” Tembo said.

“It is unfortunate that the Vice President (George Kunda) who is a State Counsel is not giving proper legal guidance on this issue.”

Tembo said the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) should assist Zambians by giving guidance on the issue, which has raised controversy among stakeholders in the political arena. He said the PVT system would help instill confidence in the country’s electoral process by enhancing transparency.

Tembo said those opposed to the parallel vote tabulation system knew it would limit their chances of vote rigging, hence the efforts to ban the system.

“Those opposing the parallel vote tabulation know that they will have no chance of rigging because the elections results will be closely monitored once this system is in place,” Tembo said. “Parallel vote tabulation has never caused a problem in any country. Moreover, this is not the first time it’s going to be done in this country.”

Tembo said it was unfortunate that the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) was talking against the practice when it had been allowed before. He said there was need to understand that the undertaking of the PVT system did not entail the individuals or organisations undertaking the duty of announcing unofficial results, but stressed that it was just a way of monitoring the movement of vote figures from the polling station to the results centre at the ECZ.

He said allowing PVT would ensure that election results were not manipulated.

And AVAP has submitted that Parliament should uphold the vote of no confidence against members of parliament who failed to perform while in office.

Tembo said his would increase levels of parliamentarians’ accountability to the electorate.

AVAP further reiterated that the 50 per cent plus one clause for the Republican presidency should be enshrined in the Constitution.

Labels: AVAP, BONNIE TEMBO

posted by MrK @ 12:19 PM