Maravi

PF not happy with ECZ’s response on UPG

PF not happy with ECZ’s response on UPG
By Bright Mukwasa and Ernest Chanda
Tue 23 Aug. 2011, 17:30 CAT

WYNTER Kabimba has warned that the country could run into civil strife because of civil servants’ running of public institutions with impunity. And Kabimba says Zambians should pass a verdict on President Rupiah Banda’s origins using their vote since the courts were delaying the matter.

In an interview Kabimba, who is Patriotic Front (PF) secretary general said some stakeholders were currently not pleased with the running of the Electoral Commission of Zambia affairs and its response to the numerous allegations of the alleged corrupt dealings of the Universal Print Group (UPG), a South African Company engaged to print ballot papers for next month’s elections.

“If the information given to ECZ was information given to the Independent Electoral Commission of South Africa, for example or somewhere in the Western World, the UPG contract today would have been cancelled,” Kabimba said.

“But in Zambia, public officers run the affairs of these public institutions with great impunity and this is why it will take a long time in Africa to do away with civil strife because it is this level of impunity that cultivates civil strife ultimately.”

Kabimba said his party had given sufficient evidence and was waiting for ECZ to tell the public that the evidence was not credible.

“Some of the stakeholders are not pleased with the manner in which institutions that are mandated to ensure that public affairs are administered in public interest do not execute their responsibilities in the public interest,” he said.

And addressing a public rally at Lusaka’s Freedom Square on Sunday, Kabimba said the strong relationship between President Banda and his Malawian counterpart Professor Bingu Wamutharika resulted from their common origins in that country.

At the same rally, the PF leadership introduced parliamentary candidates for all Lusaka-based constituencies.

Kabimba said Lusaka Province chairman William Banda was favoured by President Banda because they were both Malawians.

“Imwe banthu bamu Lusaka na banthu bonse bamu Zambia (Lusaka residents and all Zambians) you must say ‘no’ to being governed by a Malawian. Imwe, court ikalibe kukamba ati ba Rupiah Banda nibaku Malawi, cifukwa ma court aya yacedwa, (Before the court rules that Mr Rupiah Banda is from Malawi, because these courts delay), pa 20th of September you are the court of the people of Zambia; the judgment will be passed by you,” Kabimba said.

And Kabimba said critics of his party were ashamed after it managed to field parliamentary candidates in all the 150 constituencies.

Labels: ECZ, PF, VOTERIGGING, WYNTER KABIMBA

posted by MrK @ 5:31 PM