Clinton’s challenge on free elections timely - AVAP
By Patson Chilemba
Mon 13 June 2011, 07:00 CAT
HILLARY Clinton’s challenge to hold free, fair, transparent and violence-free polls is timely advice to Zambians, especially those in leadership, says Bonny Tembo.
Commenting on US Secretary of State Clinton’s challenge to President Rupiah Banda, opposition leaders and all Zambians to hold free, fair, transparent and violence-free elections this year, Tembo, who is Anti-Voter Apathy Project (AVAP) director, said those in power should take most of the challenge because they controlled institutions which conducted elections in the country.
“In fact, it’s timely advice to Zambians especially those who are leaders in power, Rupiah Banda and MMD. And it’s a pity that Clinton doesn’t know that the institutions in place are being abused by the party,” he said.
Tembo said there were still a lot of contentious issues which needed to be addressed before the nation could hold credible elections.
He said the provisional voters roll had a lot of mistakes and discrepancies which needed to be corrected.
“We have people who were born in the 1800s. There are over 200 people in one polling station in Luapula who were born in 1800. Now is it possible that we still have people who were born in the 1800s among us? We have seen names of people missing in the voters register and yet these are people who voted in 2006. The field is not yet levelled,” Tembo said.
“If we have to have free and fair elections, we must ensure that all the benchmarks that are meant to bring about fair elections are in place. We need to have confidence in the public media. We need to observe the Electoral Code of Conduct and the electoral Act and the Public Order Act.”
He said the one-party syndrome of “the party and its government” must be done away with because Zambia was now a multiparty state.
He said the voters register should be accurate and accepted by all because going by the current one, a significant number of voters would be disappointed on polling day, especially those who had not verified their details.
“We have problems like double registration and we have 12,392 people who are sharing the invalid NRC National Registration Card number, the number 111111/11/1. We need to have dialogue between the ECZ and all stakeholders to look at all the contentious issues. If we are to talk about peace, we have to invest in peace,” Tembo said.
He said the country was still very far from holding fair elections.
“The voters register is still in a mess. There is the manipulation of the public media and public resources. Issues of manipulating chiefs, village headmen to endorse candidates, there are issues to do with parallel vote tabulation PVT which the government considers criminal,” said Tembo.
“All these show the levels of desperation. We must have a reduction in the levels of desperation in order to say we are ready for fair elections because there is this ‘must win’ strategy, to say we must win at all cost. Politicians don’t own the voters.”
Speaking during her joint media briefing with President Banda at State House in Lusaka on Friday night, Clinton said political leaders were answerable and accountable to their people and not the other way round.
She said candidates might express passionate differences in campaigns but they must accept the people’s votes and join together for the sake of the country.
She said Zambians had sent a powerful message to Africa and the world when they adopted multiparty democracy in 1991 and had another opportunity to set a model for the rest of the world in further its democracy through peaceful, free, fair and transparent elections.
Labels: 2011 ELECTIONS, AVAP, BONNIE TEMBO, HILLARY CLINTON, VOTER REGISTRATION
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Revised Electoral Code of Conduct
By The Post
Tue 31 May 2011, 04:20 CAT
THERE is need for all stakeholders in our country to pay attention to the call by Anti Voter Apathy Project (AVAP) to relook the revised Electoral Code of Conduct.
According to AVAP, there is need to review and finalise the document because there were clauses that were added which bordered on the new constitution that recently failed to go through Parliament. AVAP also feels that time is running out and there is need for people to conclude the matter before the elections.
We cannot agree more with AVAP.
The Electoral Code of Conduct and indeed any measures that have to be put in place in readiness for this year’s elections need to be finalised now. We say this because the electoral system shapes the voting process and the code of conduct is an important document, which helps to promote conditions that are conducive to free and fair elections, including tolerance of democratic political activity, free political campaigning and open public debate.
This document helps in emphasising the enforcement of human and democratic rights in any country for a legal civilised, democratic and peaceful competition for power. It also helps political parties to play a vital role in strengthening multiparty democracy and democratic culture in good faith and through the spirit of compromise and consensus-building.
We are aware that the workshop that was attended by representatives from political parties, civil society, media institutions, the Church, faith-based organisations and government agencies last year adopted a revised Electoral Code of Conduct.
We are aware that in this document, the stakeholders barred traditional leaders from exerting undue influence on their subjects to support a particular political party or candidate; they agreed that all political parties will educate their members on the code and ensure total observance; they agreed that the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) will have powers to reprimand erring political parties, candidates or stakeholders as well as impose fines in the event of breach of the code.
The workshop also resolved that ECZ should submit a report of breach of the code to the police and other law enforcement agencies for prosecution and correct errors committed by electoral officers.
It was also agreed that election campaigns shall commence on nomination day and end two days before the elections; that the election results be declared within 48 hours where reasonable and practicable; that people do not wear party regalia within 400 metres from the polling stations and that political parties shall not camp at polling stations during campaigns. It was also agreed that the police and other law enforcement agencies should be involved in the enforcement of the code, among other issues.
It is important that this document is finalised so that all political players familiarise themselves with it. There is need for a document that will guide politicians as they go out in the field to lure people to vote for their political parties. It will also be important for the ECZ to enforce the code for it to serve any meaningful purpose.
It will not make sense to finalise the document and yet the elections body has no capacity correct wrongdoing.
In the past elections that our country has had, there have been many complaints regarding the breaching of the Electoral Code of Conduct and the ECZ has done little or nothing about it. The ruling MMD has been a culprit as far as breaching the code is concerned.
We have not forgotten how the MMD has distributed sugar and other commodities during election periods under the guise of projects under the Ministry of Community Development and Social Welfare. There have also been other cases where various stakeholders have complained about the MMD’s abuse of public resources such as government-owned motor vehicles during campaigns but the ECZ has done nothing.
We have seen cases where the ruling party has embarked on campaigns under the guise of explaining development projects even before the stipulated time for campaigns. The ECZ is simply unable to reprimand political players, more so those from the ruling party, when it comes to breaching the code.
Not so long ago, Inspector General of Police Francis Kabonde told the parliamentary committee for legal affairs that they had a challenge in enforcing the Electoral Code of Conduct. Kabonde said law enforcement officers had suffered harassment and intimidation at the hands of some political leaders while performing duties in the electoral process.
Kabonde said some police officers are threatened with dismissals and this makes their work very difficult. Given Kabonde’s comments, it will be an exercise in futility to have clauses on the police and their duties in the electoral process if they will not be able to operate freely.
This is the more reason why we have the police concentrating their energy in arresting offenders from the opposition even when the ruling party is equally on wrong footing. They basically fail to enforce the law from a professional standpoint because they are reduced to ruling party cadres. We hope that in this year’s elections, both police and ECZ will put their houses in order. It will not do to have a code with good clauses which cannot be enforced.
Those charged with running the elections in our country should know that at the core of any democracy is its electoral system. Free and fair elections are the key to a democratic and human rights-based society. Nothing should occur to undermine the credibility of the elections. Those tasked with this responsibility need to remember that a system that appears faulty or not independent could lead to chaos and violence that could compromise the legitimacy of the elections.
It is unfortunate that the country will go to elections on the old Constitution and yet people have over the years made their wishes clear. People have always wanted elections to be conducted in a truly democratic manner, they have always wanted to ensure that they are ruled by a majority leader but it is unfortunate that these wishes are always thwarted by those in power.
Rupiah and his minions are no exception. Our people made their submissions to the Mung’omba Constitution Review Constitution and the final document had very progressive clauses such as the 50 per cent plus one threshold for a presidential candidate and the swearing in of the president after 90 days to ensure that all electoral disputes are sorted out.
It also proposed that the chairperson of the electoral commission be the returning officer in a presidential election and not the Chief Justice. But we have not forgotten how the National Constitutional Conference (NCC), with an MMD in-built majority, butchered the document to suit its narrow partisan interests.
The NCC lamentably failed to put the people’s interests first. It’s no wonder that this document failed to go through Parliament. This could have been avoided had Rupiah and his minions listened to and respected the people’s demands. These elections could have been run better but our people were cheated, with billions of their tax wasted through sittings that did not yield anything meaningful.
However, it is not too late to salvage the situation. Much as we have very poor electoral laws, it is still possible to have a peaceful election if all stakeholders play their roles efficiently, effectively and in an orderly manner.
The ECZ and other electoral officers, police, political parties and their supporters and indeed all of our people have a role to play in ensuring that the fundamental rights and freedoms are respected in this year’s elections; that the election is not just free and fair but seen to be free and fair.
Labels: AVAP, ECZ
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AVAP describes abuse of public media as shameful
By Brina Manenga
Tue 31 May 2011, 03:40 CAT
THE abuse of the public media is a shame to the Zambian people, says AVAP.
Bonnie Tembo, the Anti-Voter Apathy Project (AVAP) executive director, said it was unfortunate that the public media was being used as a campaign tool for the MMD when it was meant for all Zambians of different political affiliation.
“It is a shame the way the public media is being used by the MMD. The people of Zambia are even made to pay K3,000 per month, for what?
That is why people have now shunned watching ZNBC because it is all government propaganda,” said Tembo during a discussion on Mobi TV’s Open Forum on Sunday night.
He said Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) had not adhered to its promise of giving equal coverage to all political parties.
“Zambians have an ownership of the public media because they are taxpayers to these institutions. ZNBC promised that it will accord equal airtime to all political parties but we have not seen that happening. What we see are documentaries of the MMD,” Tembo said.
“We cannot say anything about the private media because we do not know your editorial policies. We do not pay anything to you people.
However, the public media is owned by Zambians, they have an ownership. What the public media is doing is wasting your money and my money.”
On the election date, Tembo said President Rupiah Banda’s delay in announcing the election date would negatively affect the opposition political parties’ preparations for the exercise.
“The people of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) even know that they will have elections on the 28th of November 2011. Unfortunately for us the date is in the briefcase. The President says he will announce the election date when he is ready. It does not work like that.
If people are told the election date early it makes people ready because they know when they are going to the polls,” said Tembo.
Labels: AVAP, MEDIA, SEPARATION OF POWERS
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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
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AVAP raises alarm over MMD activities in Mporokoso
By George Chellah in Mporokoso
Mon 28 Feb. 2011, 04:01 CAT
AVAP executive director Bonny Tembo has exposed the MMD’s alleged malpractices in the Mporokoso by-election campaigns. In an interview, Tembo said his organisation had established that
the MMD was dishing out money to women’s clubs in the area.“What is happening now is that they have resorted to forcing women to form clubs and these clubs are being given K1 million per club and the new clubs that have received that amount are about 20. The old clubs that had been in existence were being given K2 million or K3 million by the Minister of Community Development,” Tembo said.
“This trend has continued by this same minister. We are also very worried on the issue of sponsored meals. They are telling people to go and eat meals from specific restaurants, which they have paid for and thereafter they get voters card and NRC numbers. This is a new strategy so we are now wondering whether it’s a local or international strategy since someone told us that he was reviving his dribbling skills. It’s like a barter system, ‘you have a sponsored meal and you vote for us’.”
He said commerce minister Felix Mutati was promising people that an investor was coming to set up a filling station in Mporokoso, which was against the Electoral Code of Conduct.
“We hear that chief Mporokoso has been promised to be given a mining licence. I don’t think our chiefs should be turned into miners. Even the market construction project, which stalled has begun now,” he said.
He said Mporokoso Secondary School had been given about K550 million and mattresses.
“So they have to wait for by-elections to get these donations. We are worried with the influx of government vehicles, some of them have number plates removed,” Tembo said.
“We are also questioning the presence of ministers and deputy ministers. Who is paying for these expenses? Are they on party or state duties because government resources can only be used by the President and Vice-President and not these ministers who are here?”
He urged politicians to adhere to the Electoral Code of Conduct.
“We don’t want to have cash and carry type of elections. We don’t want rich fools becoming leaders all the time at the expense of poor people,” Tembo said.
He also urged the government to look after the police.
“These are the people who look after our lives when they are here, so let them take care of them,” said Tembo.
Labels: AVAP, BONNIE TEMBO, MMD, VOTERIGGING
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AVAP calls for more voter registration centres
By Moses Kuwema and Agness Changala
Thu 17 Feb. 2011, 04:01 CAT
THE ECZ should increase the number of registration centres especially in rural areas, says AVAP. And political parties in the country have been urged to make every effort to sensitise their members to take advantage of the extension of the voter registration exercise to register as voters.
Commenting on the Electoral Commission of Zambia’s decision to resume the mobile voter registration exercise which closed last in year in November, Anti Voter Apathy Project executive director Bonnie Tembo said there was need to have a lot of centres as this was the last opportunity that people had of registering.
“We welcome the extension, it clearly shows that the ECZ is concerned about the number of voters they captured not being enough. This time around they need to do their best to ensure that they meet the 2.5 million target and they can only do that if they open up more centres in rural areas and they sensitise the people,” Tembo said.
He said the commission should work with the Department of National Registration to ensure that more people are registered as voters as they obtain their green National Registration Cards.
Tembo also called on the ECZ to carry out more sensitisation in rural areas because the voter registration exercise will be conducted during the rainy season when people will be cultivating.
And Tembo has appealed to Zambians living along the border to be on alert so that foreigners who were obtaining National Registration Cards illegally do not register as voters.
And Electoral Commission of Zambia public relations manager Chris Akufuna said political parties must sensitise their supporters in addition to the publicity and voter education programmes that the commission is carrying out.
Akufuna said following the representation from stakeholders to consider another extension of the mobile voter registration exercise and the release of funds from the Ministry of Finance, the mobile exercise which came to a close on November, 30, 2010 will resume for 21 days from March 10 to March 31, 2011.
He said during the extended period of registration of voters, officers will be deployed in each ward for 10 days.
“Each district will have a deployment timetable, which will be availed to stakeholders,” Akufuna said.
He said voter registration at the civic centres and other designated places will continue until March 9.
He said the commission will also work with the Department of National Registration to ensure that more people were registered as they obtain their green National Registration Cards.
Akufuna said the Ministry of Finance has also started releasing funds for the payment of allowances owed to all registration officers and voter education facilitators, as well as for goods and services provided by suppliers for the 2010 voter registration exercise.
Labels: AVAP, ECZ, VOTER REGISTRATION
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AVAP urges Zambians to be alert about rigging
By Patson Chilemba
Mon 07 Feb. 2011, 03:59 CAT
ZAMBIANS should be alert and ensure that the 2011 general elections are not rigged by the MMD government, says Bonnie Tembo.
In an interview, Tembo, who is Anti-Voter Apathy Project (AVAP) executive director, said he concurred with lawyer Dr Rodger Chongwe that President Banda’s government was preparing the minds of Zambians to reject the outcome of this year’s election results through its conduct.
He said people like information minister Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwaska and works and supply minister Mike Mulongoti should not defend the government against assertions of rigging.
Tembo said it was true that all the general elections which had been conducted from 1996 were rigged by the MMD government.
“I have a document which has got results which were coincidental in the 1996 elections for example. For instance, in Shiwang’andu and Isoka East, Frederick Chiluba had 5,949 votes, while Chama Chakomboka had 281 in both constituencies. The same applied for Akashambatwa Mbikusita Lewanika who had 63 votes in both constituencies,” Tembo said.
“Humphrey Mulemba had 100 in the same two constituencies. In Chipata-Central and Luangeni Chiluba had 7,720, Chama Chakomboka in those same two constituencies had 214, Mulemba 368, Lewanika 465, Dean Mung’omba 2,169.”
Tembo said in Malole and Lukashya constituencies Chiluba had 8,953, the late Chakomboka 681, Aka 82, Mulemba 290 and late Mung’omba 444.
“When you talk about rigging, is this not rigging? We must learn lessons from the 1996 elections,” he said.
Tembo said he hoped a person of integrity who could not be manipulated would be appointed Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) chairperson unlike the sad 1996 experience where someone was appointed chairperson three weeks before the elections.
“Zambians must be alert. All Zambians who want to see free and fair elections should monitor the election process,” said Tembo.
Labels: AVAP, BONNIE TEMBO
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AVAP challenges VJ on his ‘democratic benchmarks’ claims
By Namatama Mundia
Mon 17 Jan. 2011, 04:01 CAT
VERNON Mwaanga should show the democratic benchmarks he claims Zambia has set, says AVAP. Reacting to Mwaanga’s statement that Zambia has set democratic benchmarks higher than many countries worldwide, Anti Voter Apathy (AVAP) executive director Bonnie Tembo said voter confidence in elections was questionable due to the failure by the MMD to take a lead in observing the Electoral Code of Conduct.
“…2001, 2006 and 2008 elections were associated with vote rigging, vote buying and massive electoral corruption, abuse of public funds and manipulation of public media,” he said. “Worse still, 1996 elections have sets of results showing massive rigging.”
Tembo wondered what benchmarks Mwaanga, who is parliamentary chief whip, was talking about when the constitution making process was manipulated.
“The electoral Act needs to be amended, the Code of Conduct no matter how good it can be, MMD using the party and its government, the boma ni boma mentality will always breach electoral laws,” he said.
Tembo advised politicians to be sincere when talking about laws that govern elections.
Labels: AVAP, VERNON MWAANGA
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Constitution irrelevant without 50%+1 - AVAP
By Florence Bupe
Wed 24 Nov. 2010, 03:59 CAT
ANTI-Voter Apathy Project says the new constitution will be irrelevant to next year’s general elections if the 50 per cent plus one clause is not addressed.
In an interview, AVAP executive director Bonnie Tembo said he was disappointed with Vice-President George Kunda’s announcement that the government would adopt some clauses of the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) draft constitution for possible enactment, excluding the 50 per cent plus one and other important clauses.
“The constitution will be incomplete and irrelevant without the inclusion of the 50 per cent plus one clause, which in our view is central to any democratic election process,” he said.
Vice-President Kunda last week announced that the government had begun the process of enacting part of the constitution except for clauses that require a referendum, including the 50 per cent plus one clause for a winning presidential candidate due to financial implications.
Tembo said the government had enough resources but its priorities were misplaced.
“Government needs to understand that democracy is expensive and they have to spend to put in place legislation that is beneficial to our growing democracy.
Government is claiming not to have enough resources to take the 50 per cent plus one clause to a referendum, yet there is always money available for the President to travel with huge delegations,” he said.
Tembo urged every progressive Zambian to pressurise the government to include the 50 per cent plus one clause in the new constitution to ensure that legitimate leaders were elected next year.
He challenged the present government to make decisions for the good of the country and not out of their selfish motives.
“We are appealing to Cabinet to think beyond themselves and 2011 and enact laws that will contribute positively to national development,” Tembo said. “Cabinet should embrace what the Zambian people want and support the 50 per cent plus one clause.”
Tembo also challenged home affairs minister Mkhondo Lungu to be honest with the nation on the issue of registered voters whose National Registration Card (NRC) numbers appeared as 111111/1/1.
He said Lungu’s explanation that the number was a code the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) was using to highlight entries that had incomplete information was misleading.
Tembo urged the government, through ECZ, to publish the names of all those registered under the number in question to persuade them to submit their correct and compete details at district level.
Labels: 50 PERCENT PLUS 1, AVAP, BONNIE TEMBO
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The electoral Act needs overhaul
Sat 13 Nov. 2010, 04:00 CAT
In light of the many concerns being raised by key players in our elections, we make a special appeal to the government and the ruling MMD to realise that they have a serious responsibility. As facilitators of the elections, they should ensure that the concerns of all key players are adequately addressed.
Next year’s electoral process will provide all Zambians with a unique opportunity to show their political maturity and their sincere aspiration for peace and harmony anchored in justice. In this spirit, we feel there is need to examine and re-examine the current electoral Act and strengthen our electoral process. The Electoral Commission’s independence needs to be strengthened. The composition of the Electoral Commission should be broadened to include representatives from all registered political parties, the main known political bodies and impartial observers.
The government, the administration, the military and other law enforcement and security agencies should be made to keep a distance from political campaigns and show that they are working not for the good of the party in power, or indeed any party, but for the good of all Zambians.
The electoral Act needs to be amended so that it can guarantee equal opportunities for all parties and persons in the political campaign. The use of Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation, the Times of Zambia and the Daily Mail has to be open to all without restrictions because these do not belong to the ruling party; they are not owned by the MMD and its leaders – they belong to the public.
The police should be made to operate in an impartial manner and stop all violence. Violence must be avoided because the electoral campaign should not be confused with a battlefield where the aim is to destroy the other. Real political victory lies on the ideals proposed, on the ethical values of the candidates, on the respect for the freedom of choice of all citizens, and not on any form of moral pressure or intimidation of political opponents or voters.
The will of the people should be the basis of the authority of government; this should be expressed in genuine elections. We say this because the basic item in a democratic state is that the government governs with the consent of the people. The will of the people should be the basis of the authority of government. And the minimum guarantee that the government rules on the basis of the genuine will of the people is fair elections. This minimum guarantee can be frustrated by activities of an electoral commission that is not independent from the leadership of the ruling party.
The fundamental right to take part in government requires the holding of free and fair elections. And free and fair elections require an efficient, effective and orderly electoral process that ensures all citizens who have attained the age of 18 have the opportunity to register and vote without being threatened into voting for a person or party.
There should also be an efficient procedure for contesting the results of elections in the face of irregularities. The current procedure leaves much to be desired. The current procedure takes too long to conclude an election petition and in most cases, it’s meaningless or useless to challenge election results. We say this because by the time the matter is concluded, one’s term of office will be almost over. And as for the presidential elections, challenging election results is simply an academic exercise because the person being challenged would have taken office and would be in a position to manipulate everything in his favour. This needs to change.
The current electoral Act makes it very easy for those in the ruling party to retain power. It makes it very difficult for the Zambian people to sack a ruling party. We know it may sound negative but we have always thought it positive to say that the important thing about democracy is that we should be able to remove without bloodshed the people who govern us. But that cannot be easy to do with this electoral Act that favours or allows those in power to retain it through manipulation and abuse of incumbency.
If people lose the power to sack their government through the electoral process, one of several things happens. First, people may just withdraw. Apathy could destroy our democracy. When turnout drops drastically because people have lost interest in elections that do not bring out their desires for change, we are in danger. The second thing that can happen is people resorting to anarchy, lawlessness, riots and so on and so forth. Thirdly, regionalism can arise. And this is built on frustration that people feel when they cannot get their way through the ballot box. And with regionalism comes all sorts of negative things.
Unless we can offer our people a peaceful route to the resolution of injustice through free and fair elections – elections that they respect as being representative of their will and whose results they are ready and willing to accept – they will not listen to politicians that have blocked off that route.
As things stand today, our elections are starting to appear more and more as being merely symbolic because they are weighed much more in favour of the ruling party. Elections, to be free and fair, should be genuinely competitive elections in which the chief decision makers in government are elected by citizens. Simply permitting the opposition to access the ballot box is not enough.
Elections in which all the odds are stuck against the opposition cannot be said to be democratic. The party in power may enjoy the advantages of incumbency, but the laws, the rules and conduct of the election contest must be fair. And at the end of the day, the citizens must be confident that the results of such elections are accurate and that the government does, indeed, rest upon their consent.
It is therefore very important that the government finds time and resources to attend to all the matters pertaining to the electoral Act and other laws that affect the holding of free and fair elections. If they have time and resources to take to Parliament the Anti Corruption Commission Act to remove section 37, why can’t they find the same time and resources to deal with even a more important and urgent matter – that of the electoral Act?
We therefore support the call being made by Anti Voter Apathy for the complete overhaul of our electoral Act to ensure free, fair and credible elections next year because the current law has a lot of deficiencies.
Labels: AVAP, BONNIE TEMBO, ELECTORAL ACT OF 1996
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Electoral Act needs overhaul - AVAP
By Chibaula Silwamba
Sat 13 Nov. 2010, 04:01 CAT
BONNIE Tembo yesterday called for the complete overhaul of the electoral Act to ensure free, fair and credible elections next year, saying the current law has a lot of gaps.
In an interview, Tembo, who is executive director for the Anti Voter Apathy Project (AVAP), said the electoral Act of 1996 must be reviewed as opposed to having piecemeal changes.
“The current electoral Act is anchored on the 1996 amended Constitution. Therefore, you cannot dream to have free, fair and credible elections under a defective constitution. So to us as AVAP, we are appealing to government to sit up and we are saying,enough is enough!” Tembo said.
“Zambians want to have proper elections next year and if they still want to use the same constitution, it means they have a hidden agenda. What should happen now is to have a complete overhaul of the entire electoral law, not just the Electoral Code of Conduct because the Electoral Code of Conduct can easily be abused. In fact, they MMD are known to be abusing the Electoral Code of Conduct. Therefore, it is very cosmetic and doesn’t add any value. We want the electoral law itself.”
Tembo said there was need to step up advocacy campaigns to ensure that the government was compelled to give Zambians a new constitution.
He said Zambians could not afford to spend billions of kwacha on a constitution-making process only to have the Constitution after the elections.
“We are appealing to President Rupiah Banda, as much as he is flying around to Namibia and everywhere to find time to ask Tanzania, Kenya, South Africa, Rwanda, Angola and other countries on how they hold elections? How are the electoral laws put in place so that we speed up our process?” he added. “Our democracy is still under siege and that is the siege we are talking about.”
He said the country did not have direction on the electoral process because the law was inadequate.
“We cannot afford the luxury of having a simple majority president; we want the 50 per cent plus one to be enshrined in the Constitution. We want the independence of the Electoral Commission of Zambia clearly stipulated in the Constitution. We want the chairperson of the ECZ to be the returning officer for presidential elections; not the chief justice who hears the petitions,” said Tembo.
“We would like the playing field to be levelled. There are a number of issues which we want to be reviewed because the current electoral Act has so many gaps.”
Labels: 2011 ELECTIONS, AVAP, BONNIE TEMBO, ELECTORAL ACT OF 1996
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Zambia’s democracy is under siege - AVAP
By Edwin Mbulo in Livingstone
Mon 08 Nov. 2010, 04:00 CAT
ZAMBIA’S democracy is under siege due to a hostile political environment prevailing in the country, AVAP executive director Bonnie Tembo has warned. And AVAP has observed that there are a lot of political gaps which do not support the growth of Zambia’s young democracy as politicians have abandoned politics of service and development, and have been carried away by politics of self-praise.
Addressing a press conference in Livingstone yesterday at the Livingstone Museum, Tembo said politicians should not be left to vandalise and deform Zambia’s hard-won democracy.
“Our politicians have abandoned politics of service and development and have been carried away with politics of self-praise but no tangible development. We are gathered here to discuss the state of democracy and 2011 elections and as AVAP, we simply give you a big picture on the subject matter. Our democracy in Zambia is under siege due to a hostile political environment prevailing in the country,” he said.
Tembo said a silent revolution was developing.
“Therefore we have change versus change. The country is divided according to these calls…you are either for change of regime or no change. As we get closer to 2011 elections, your true colours will be exposed. Now that the 2011 elections fever is gripping the country, politicians are busy dreaming new promises and lies to deceive the electorate for their votes,” Tembo said.
He wondered how Zambia’s democracy could grow with hunger, poverty, unemployment and corruption.
“How do we push our democracy towards growth with tribal politics, regional politics?” he asked.
Tembo said Zambia’s democracy was sinking, adding that the need to rescue it was critical.
He said this was a challenge to all Zambians.
“Politicians should not be left to vandalise and deform our hard-won democracy. As Zambians, regardless of political affiliation, our active participation in the re-building of our democracy must be encouraged,” Tembo said.
He said time to lay a strong foundation for the 2011 elections was now but noted that there was still a serious concern regarding electoral preparedness in the country.
“Do we have a constitution and electoral Act that can provide a basis for free, fair and credible elections? Do we see political parties holding democratic and inclusive party conventions ahead of 2011 elections? Why do we have internal political instability in almost all political parties?” he asked.
“Is Government Printers ready to locally print ballot papers and other elections materials? Is there political will to put an end to electoral corruption in the electoral process? Why the mushrooming and fragmentation of opposition political parties? What must be done to ensure that the public resources are not abused for electoral campaigns?”
Tembo said the 2011 tripartite elections were unprecedented and could pose a challenge to Zambia’s young democracy.
“Our electoral process will be on trial next year. We are alive to the fact that the only elections accepted locally and internationally were the 1991 first-ever multi-party elections. The subsequent elections were closer to selections as the outcomes were disputed. The polls of 1996, 2001 and 2006 were characterised with massive electoral corruption, manipulations and rigging,” he said.
“We as AVAP recommend that government speeds up the process of amending the 1996 Constitution ahead of the 2011 elections.”
He also requested the government to pass legislation that would allow Zambians living abroad to vote in the presidential elections.
Tembo noted that politics of poverty had spread to both the voters and job-seeking politicians.
“…Our young democracy is anchored on a weak political system to the extent that most political parties do exist on paper only and have no capacity to participate in the electoral process. How can our democracy survive with political parties that are undemocratic, intolerant, oppressive and lost in the political wilderness? How can we have a strong democracy without understanding dialogue and consensus among political players?” asked Tembo.
“We have observed that there are a lot of political gaps which do not support the growth of Zambia’s young democracy.”
And UNIP Livingstone vice-chairperson Luther Payton said former president Frederick Chiluba changed the Zambia Police Force into a service to service the plunder of the economy.
“There is no way we will get Chiluba on his knees to apologise because he changed the Police Force into a service because he knew very well that he was going to plunder the economy and he needed a police service and not a police force,” said Payton.
Labels: AVAP, BONNIE TEMBO
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Politicians taking Zambians for granted - AVAP
By Patson Chilemba
Sun 12 Sep. 2010, 04:00 CAT
ZAMBIAN politicians are taking people for granted, Anti Voter Apathy Project (AVAP) director Bonny Tembo charged yesterday.
Commenting on the recent by-elections caused by Luena member of parliament Charles Milupi and the MMD’s expulsion of their members of parliament George Mpombo Kafulafuta and Ng’andu Magande Chilanga and the resignation of George Bwalya Mwamba GBM as Kasama PF member of parliament, Tembo said AVAP was deeply concerned that a lot of national resources kept being wasted through unnecessary by-elections.
“Now we have a series of by-elections. There is Mpulungu, Namwala is on the standby. In Chilanga it’s obvious Magande is very clear he doesn’t want to be associated with the plunder of having by-elections. Now we have Kasama. How much are we going to spend? Already the ECZ Electoral Commission of Zambia is being overstretched,” Tembo said.
“They politicians are taking people for granted because they use money to entice people to say they are good people who can deliver.”
Tembo said since 2007, the country has had over 12 parliamentary by-elections.
He said the first of these “careless” by-elections was caused by Rose Banda who resigned from UNIP to join the MMD.
“The people feel betrayed and people say ‘why vote’? What are they benefiting after eating those short term gains, after the campaign back to poverty?” Tembo said.
He said people should critically scrutinize candidates who presented themselves to them.
Tembo said there was also need to reform the laws governing the elections.
“If there is a law to say ‘anybody who causes a wasteful by-election has to bear the cost or has to be prosecuted’, I am sure that these politicians will be able to abide. Look at Kasama-Central, Savior Chishimba abandoned the electorate, then last year we had the by-elections,” Tembo said.
“GBM without finishing one year he has abandoned them. So you will make people suffer. People are suffering. For them to queue and in the heat of the Sun, especially those which are coming on 28th October, people are going to queue for long hours. They are going to suffer.”
Tembo said some politicians even had the audacity to say that the people would accept their resignations or their decisions to expel their members of parliament.
“Which people are going to understand?” asked Tembo.
The MMD last Saturday expelled Magande and Mpombo.
Magande has since declared that he would not contest his expulsion and the Chilanga seat.
A few days later, GBM resigned as Kasama-Central member of parliament a few hours after receiving a letter of suspension from his party leader Michael Sata.
GBM allegedly assaulted his wife Chama on Sunday after a domestic dispute.
A few months ago, Milupi caused a by-election when he resigned as Luena independent member of parliament only to re-contest the same seat on the Alliance for Development and Democracy (ADD) ticket and won.
Labels: AVAP, BONNIE TEMBO, GBM, GEOFFREY MWAMBA, SAVIOUR CHISHIMBA
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Election monitors observe numerous violations of electoral code
By Moses Kuwema
Sat 14 Aug. 2010, 04:00 CAT
THREE Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) that monitored the just ended Luena and Chifubu by-elections have observed that there were numerous reports of violations pertaining to the Electoral Code of Conduct in both constituencies.
The three organisations are Anti-Voter Apathy (AVAP), Caritas Zambia and the Southern Africa Centre for the Constructive Resolutions of Disputes (SACCORD).
SACCORD financial and administration officer Theresa Chewe who read the statement on behalf of the CSOs said most of the reports were related to distribution of various materials such as cash, foodstuffs and other merchandise.
“In Luena a named political party was reported to have been giving out torches to would-be voters and a named district commissioner was allegedly issuing cheques to some traditional leaders in the area,” Chewe said.
“These acts are met with strong condemnation from us and we would like to urge the ECZ Electoral Commission of Zambia to put in place stronger measures of how to curb such malpractices as the Electoral Code of Conduct undergoes review.”
She said the organisations would make submissions to the ECZ on a more improved Electoral Code of Conduct following their experiences.
Chewe said they observed imbalanced media coverage of political players in the elections contrary to the Electoral Code of Conduct which demands equal, fair and balanced media coverage of all political contenders.
She challenged media houses to respond positively.
Chewe observed that the tendency by political parties to ferry political campaigners from nearby constituencies and towns during by-elections had also continued.
“We still emphasise our earlier proposal that political parties use local party functionaries in campaigning and mobilising voters. This requires a lot of effort among political parties and stakeholders to build capacity of the local people to manage election campaigns peacefully in their own areas,” Chewe said.
She said the organiations noted serious oversights on the part of ECZ for having allowed political party cadres and representatives to celebrate inside the collation centre.
“In Chifubu, these celebrations were allowed to proceed even before the totalling and declaration of the final results was done. This can cause anarchy and confusion in cases where an error and miscalculation is made and their preferred candidate does not turn out to be the final winner,” said Chewe.
“In future, it would be prudent for the police and the ECZ to ensure that celebrations are done outside the collation centres and after the announcement of the final results.”
Labels: AVAP, SACCORD, VOTER REGISTRATION, VOTERIGGING
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NGOs petition Rupiah to set up enquiry into Mufumbwe violence
By Moses Kuwema
Tue 18 May 2010, 04:20 CAT
THREE Civil Society Organisations have formally written to President Rupiah Banda asking him to set up an independent enquiry on the violence that characterised the Mufumbwe by-election.
The three CSOs include the Southern African Center for the Constructive Resolutions of Disputes (SACCORD), Anti-Voter Apathy Project (AVAP) and Caritas Zambia. In an interview, SACCORD executive director Lee Habasonda said the CSOs were yet to receive a response from President Banda.
“We know that the president has indicated that he will take the matter to the court but we believe that the court has no mandate to investigate, they will just rely on the evidence from the complainants and the plaintiffs which will be subjective,” Habasonda said.
He said the CSOs were of the view that the violence in the Mufumbwe by-election needed special attention.
“We hope that President Banda will get back to us because we believe he had reacted to the media but this time around we have officially written to him. We heard the Vice-President George Kunda the other day saying the people who caused violence in Mufumbwe need to be taken to the International Criminal Court (ICC). If they find the violence to be so serious, why not set up an independent enquiry which will find out who committed the violence?” he asked.
Habasonda said setting up of an independent enquiry would also show a measure of some commitment against violence from the government.
“We hope this matter will not be perceived as partisan because if next year’s elections are rocked by violence, it will not help to lament so we need to find answers to the violence in Mufumbwe,” said Habasonda.
The Mufumbwe by-elections were marred by political violence, which left three people dead, and several injured.
Labels: AVAP, POLITICAL VIOLENCE, SACCORD
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Attempts to transform NGOs into cadres will be resisted – AVAP
By Mwala Kalaluka
Sat 13 Mar. 2010, 19:40 CAT
ANTI-Voter Apathy Project (AVAP) executive director Bonnie Tembo has vowed that attempts by the state to transform NGOs into cadres ahead of next year’s election will be resisted.
And Transparency International Zambia (TIZ) president Reuben Lifuka said it is surprising that government leaders speak so confidently with authority on the work that civil society organisations do when they hardly conducted familiarisation tours to these institutions.
Expressing AVAP’s solidarity with SACCORD, Tembo said he was aware that his organisation was becoming unpopular in the eyes of the state because it somehow believes that it needed to cadrelise NGOs.
“As AVAP we refuse to be cadrelised,” Tembo said.
Tembo said it was clear that for those who are in the corridors of power, the panicking had started ahead of the elections.
“When you read, you are able to tell which direction,” Tembo said. “Look at the NGO world; there are those who say ‘we are neutral and we are supporting the government’. I want to say that what is happening now is centered on the political indicators of the 2011 elections.”
Tembo said in case the country was not aware, the 2011 elections would be held in September.
“September next year, we will go to the polls, so we don’t want to be messed up by this cheap political campaign, which has started prematurely,” Tembo said.
Tembo said former PF secretary general Charles Chimumbwa should find other ways of asking for a job from the MMD instead of insinuating that some NGOs were being financed and controlled by the Roman Catholic Church to attack the government.
“It is wrong because Chalesi Chimumbwa does not have evidence for that. Personally, I do not know Fr (Bishop) Mpundu. How can he say TIZ, SACCORD and Change Life Zambia are being funded by the Catholic Church?” he asked.
“SACCORD, do not get worried, do not get bothered. We are with you. The struggle continues. Aluta Continua. We will assure that we will stand by your side.”
Tembo said he was happy that SACCORD was getting back to its initial status.
“We are not going to sleep. We are going to fight on,” said Tembo.
And Lifuka said civil society organisations should not exist as an arm of charity to the government.
He said the action that the government was taking against SACCORD was indicative of a government that was desperate to hold on to power.
“We should not suffer for their insecurity,” Lifuka said. “The fact that government seems to be so insecure for whatever reason should not be transmitted to the civil society.
The third sector should not be wished away. What is interesting is that government has its own civil society.”
Lifuka said probably the government wanted all civil society organisations to start singing praises to it.
“But we want to assure them that we are not in the business of entertainment,” he said. “All of us are more than prepared to account for the work that we do.”
Labels: AVAP, BONNIE TEMBO, NGOs, SACCORD, TIZ
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UPND-PF pact complain about Police conduct
By Zumani Katasefa in Solwezi and Mutuna Chanda in Kitwe
Sat 31 Oct. 2009, 04:01 CAT
UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema on Thursday lodged complaints over the conduct of police during the filing of nomination papers for the November 19 Solwezi Central parliamentary by-election.
And Anti-Voter Apathy Project (AVAP) executive director Bonnie Tembo has branded the ruling MMD's violence in Solwezi as an act of desperation.
Hichilema, who was accompanied by UPND senior party officials, complained to North-Western Province commanding officer Fabian Katiba that police failed to offer him and other PF-UPND pact members protection when they were attacked by MMD cadres at Kyawama market.
He complained that instead of dealing with the MMD cadres who started violence, the police threw teargas canisters at the peaceful PF-UPND members.
"The teargases were aimed at me and my vice-presidents and our members," Hichilema complained.
He said everyone, including himself who was at the scene, was chocked by the teargas.
"The fighting was started by the MMD, the MMD was mingled with the police who started firing teargas at us," complained Hichilema.
"We need protection from the police as much as the police need it, I am registering my displeasure. The people of Zambia will deliver change in 2011," he said.
Hichilema demanded an explanation from the police command as to why officers conducted themselves in such a manner.
"It is unfortunate that the police are acting like an arm of the MMD. We are disappointed with what happened," he said.
Hichilema also wondered whether police would have behaved in the same manner if MMD were the ones attacked.
"Were they going to fire teargas at Kabinga Pande? But because it was us, they decided to fire teargas at us," he said. "Kabinga Pande came asking for (UPND vice-president Richard) Kapita, why is he asking for Kapita? If we go out and organise ourselves like that, you will not handle us," warned Hichilema.
Hichilema said Pande was in Solwezi to ensure that people were beaten by the MMD cadres.
"Kabinga Pande was there to ensure that people are beaten," he said.
Hichilema said he was looking forward to meet Pande over the remarks against UPND leaders and the pact he had been making of late.
"I am requesting for a meeting with Kabinga Pande, I would like to meet him. He has been saying a lot of nonsense, even in Parliament. If I met him when he was saying such nonsense, I was going to nail him myself," he said.
Hichilema demanded that police take action against MMD cadres who were perpetrating violence in Solwezi.
And Hichilema said the re-enforcement of more police officers in Solwezi was meant to beat the UPND-PF pact down.
And Kapita wondered why Pande was looking for him, and vowed that he would present himself to Pande.
He warned that the UPND-PF pact would not allow the abuse of government resources by the MMD to conduct their campaigns in Solwezi.
"We are going to effect citizens arrest on anyone who is going to abuse government vehicles in this by-election," warned Kapita.
He said the PF-UPND pact would not be intimidated by the MMD in Solwezi.
And UPND Copperbelt Province chairman Elisha Matambo also complained against police's 'always siding with the MMD.
"We saw some police officers moving with Taima (deputy commerce minister Richard Taima) and one of the police officers even pointed a gun at us, but no action has been taken against that officer," he complained.
He said police should offer equal protection to all political leaders.
Matambo demanded an apology from the police command over the behaviour of their officers who teargased PF -UPND members.
And Katiba said police fired teargas to control the situation.
He said police were not working under instruction from MMD.
"Sir, we did that to control the situation. If the fighting had to go for 30 minutes, this time we would have been explaining about death. The next thing we did was to disperse the crowd," said Katiba.
"We will never be instructed, there is no instruction from the MMD," he said.
Katiba said they would institute investigations and open a docket against the culprits who damaged a vehicle and injured the two PF-UPND pact members.
He said violence started when the MMD changed their venue from showgrounds to Kyawama market, which was for the PF-UPND.
Katiba tried in vain to convince the UPND-PF leaders that he was not siding with MMD. He also complained that the MMD were accusing police of being sympathisers of the opposition parties.
Katiba said the additional reinforcement of police officers was meant to offer adequate protection and enforcement of law and order during the by-election campaigns.
Condemning the MMD's violence against UPND-PF pact in Solwezi, Tembo warned that the ruling party's desperation posed a threat to Zambia's democratic process.
"These are people who are ruling us and they must lead by example," Tembo said. "They must show that they are willing to abide by the law and the electoral code of conduct."
He said the violence exhibited by MMD cadres when they camped on the territory that was earmarked for a PF-UPND pact rally was clearly in violation of the law and electoral code of conduct.
"For them to trespass at the venue of a legally granted venue for a PF-UPND meeting then there is a problem," he said. "Police became spectators; Zambia Police is not police for the MMD, they are police for all Zambians and where PF-UPND cadres had to become police protecting HH, then there is a problem."
He encouraged police officers to read the Zambian Constitution to be able to understand their role.
He also called on the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to embrace the spirit of the Electoral Code of Conduct by condemning the MMD violence.
He said the Electoral Code of Conduct needed to be fully observed in the campaigns for the Solwezi Central by-election.
Meanwhile, Tembo wondered whether the MMD had formed a pact with the Zambia National Marketeers Association.
And Zambia Institute of Business Studies and Industrial Practice (ZIBSIP) students union president Innocent Mulenga called for issue-based politics in the Solwezi Central by-election campaigns and condemned violence.
Labels: AVAP, HAKAINDE HICHILEMA, PF-UPND, WESTERN PROVINCE
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There is no transparency in CDF management – AVAP
Written by Christopher Miti in Chipata
Sunday, September 20, 2009 7:08:42 PM
THE Anti-Voter Apathy Project (AVAP) has observed that there is no transparency in the management of Constituency Development Funds (CDF) in most constituencies.
AVAP programmes officer Richwell Mulwani said the CDF had not addressed real issues in relation to poverty reduction.
"AVAP has embarked on establishing constituency assessment committees (CACs) in Petauke, Chipata, Mansa, and Mwense districts, the committees are established with the financial support of MS Zambia. AVAP has taken note that the CDF has not addressed real issues in relation to poverty reduction,” Mulwani said.
He said there was fear that the funds might be abused by politicians who had an upper hand as they aspired to retain their parliamentary seats in 2011 elections.
"AVAP has seen that there is no transparency in the manner the CDF has been managed; there is fear that the K650 million that will be allocated may only benefit political cadres if there is no monitoring by independent groups. It is for this reason that AVAP has established four CACs in Petauke central and Luangeni, the CAC is comprising of credible people from civil society organisations who are competent enough to track the expenditures of the CDF," Mulwani said.
He urged communities to be vigilant on projects financed by CDF. Mulwani urged the government to provide safe and clean drinking water at Nsenya Basic School in chief Nyamphande's area in Petauke where people were alleged to be sharing drinking water with animals. Mulwani said the school that is located in Msanzala Constituency faced a serious water problem.
Labels: AVAP, CDF, CORRUPTION
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Rupiah’s minister, UNIP cadre exchange punches
Written by Chibaula Silwamba in Chitambo, Serenje
Friday, August 14, 2009 4:10:26 PM
DEPUTY minister in the Office of the Vice-President Gaston Sichilima and a UNIP cadre yesterday fiercely fought until the minister fell and Anti Voter Apathy Project (AVAP) monitors restrained them.
Sichilima and a UNIP cadre exchanged fierce punches at the Serenje-Tuta road T-junction. The fight started after a UNIP cadre called Sichilima a liar when he tried to justify MMD parliamentary candidate Dr Solomon Musonda's ferrying of people to polling stations.
Earlier, UNIP cadres led by their secretary general Reverend Alfred Banda caught Dr Musonda at Serenje-Tuta road T-junction as he was ferrying the electorate to a nearby polling station.
Rev Banda and his cadres briefly 'detained' Dr Musonda and his vehicle for allegedly violating the Electoral Code of Conduct, which forbids ferrying of voters to the polling station.
However, Dr Musonda told them that the people in his vehicle were his relatives and he was taking them to the polling station to vote.
UNIP cadres baricaded the road with logs to stop the vehicle from proceeding.
But a group of MMD cadres led by Jonathan Kapungwe charged at Rev Banda and they almost fought but AVAP monitors, who were at the scene, pacified the situation and Dr Musonda was allowed to leave.
After about 20 minutes of calm, this reporter who was at the scene saw a group of MMD cadres coming back to Serenje-Tuta road T-junction rampaging and looking for Rev Banda, who they were erroneously calling Njekwa Anamela, threatening to beat him.
The cadres who were in a combatant mood wielded catapults, as their leader Kapungwe shouted: "boys let's move and pick up Anamela [referring to UNIP vice-president]. We will beat him! We will kill him today! UNIP is finished and we will teach him a lesson."
As Kapungwe shouted, the cadres reached out for their weapons in the four-door open van.
However, Rev Banda and his youths had already hid in a nearby shop.
AVAP executive director Bonny Tembo and AVAP Northern Province co-ordinator Kelly Kashiwa's pleas with the MMD cadres to desist from violence fell on deaf ears as they continued rampaging looking for Rev Banda.
Kapungwe shouted: "Njekwa Anamela [referring to Rev Banda] UNIP has crossed a main highway on pretence that our candidate has taken abantu uku [people to the polling station] when he has taken a wife, his auntie, the niece and they are voting at Kafinga. There are only five people in that vehicle. Mwebeni Njekwa ba UNIP balipwa, ngatwamumona twalamutrita. [Tell Njekwa, UNIP is finished, if we see him we will treat him!] Enough is enough!"
But Sichilima appeared on the scene and pleaded with Kapungwe and his cadres not to be violent.
"As MMD we should not be violent," Sichilima pleaded.
After Sichilima's intervention Kapungwe commanded his cadres to leave the place.
"Let's go baiche! Let's go! Twaya mukumupela support candidate wesu! [We have gone to give support to our candidate!]," shouted Kapungwe as his cadres jumped into the back of the van and he sped off.
As Kapungwe's vehicle was leaving, one of the cadres was pointing at Post photojournalist Eddie Mwanaleza with the catapult threatening to stone him, as Mwanaleza hid behind Sichilima.
After a few minutes, Rev Banda, who was looking jittery, resurfaced and started asking what the MMD cadres wanted him for.
Rev Banda later went to Sichilima to complain about what had happened.
Rev Banda told Sichilima that he and his cadres were unhappy with Dr Musonda's ferrying of voters to the polling station but the deputy minister contended that the Electoral Code of Conduct did not prohibit ferrying of voters to the polling station.
"That they don't stop naimwe ba Reverend," Sichilima argued but Rev Banda countered: "Ferrying people? No! It's against the Electoral Code of Conduct."
Sichilima argued: "You check in the [Electoral Code of Conduct] book. The only thing that you can't do ba Banda is to ferry the people up to the polling stations."
But Rev Banda and his cadres protested against Sichilima's arguments.
Sichilima said: "I was with the candidate. Now ba Reverend with due respect. The candidate was with his mother."
But Rev Banda interjected, "can you give me chance to explain because I wasn't alone."
But Sichilama said: "hold on ba Reverend. You belong to Chitambo and you have a wife, a mother, sisters and cousins. You mean they cannot jump in your vehicle to go and vote?"
Rev Banda countered: "How many families has he got? Apart from the one that he took to the polling station because he just came from the polling station with about 10 women in the same bus."
At that point, UNIP cadres started protesting, saying, "honourable! No! That is wrong!"
A UNIP cadre, who later fought Sichilima, asked the deputy minister, "Sir, for how long is someone allowed to drive unregistered vehicle on the road? You are the people that make laws in Parliament."
Sichilima retorted: "Are you asking me to answer you or you want to confront me unnecessarily?"
The cadre answered: "No! No! I am asking you."
But Sichilima responded: "First let me tell you, number one, don't take me for granted. I am a peacemaker, I don't fight. If you are ready to listen to me, ask for my opinion, I will give you an opinion. But if you want to ask me and confront me...there is nowhere in that law where it says, 'I can't pick my family.'"
After the debate became confrontational, Sichilima requested that they abandon the topic.
But the UNIP cadre shouted, "Honourable you are telling lies. You are lying! It's a lie!"
It was at that point that Sichilima got upset.
"You are calling me a liar? I am not a liar," said Sichilima but the cadre said: "That is not what I am saying."
Thereafter, Sichilima charged at the UNIP cadre but alert AVAP monitors restrained him.
Sichilima said: "I am also human...don't provoke me. I am going to react."
But AVAP monitors and other people pleaded with Sichilima.
"No! Honourable no! Don't fight!"
But the UNIP cadre and his colleagues shouted that they would not be intimidated.
AVAP monitors started taking Sichilima away.
A female MMD cadre castigated the UNIP cadres.
"Mume ba minister na bantu balemonako? [You want to beat a minister while people are watching?]" she rebuked UNIP cadres.
AVAP monitors took Sichilima across the road to the western side.
The UNIP cadres, who remained on the eastern side of the road, continued saying when a government fails to govern the country it resorts to what Dr Musonda was doing and violence.
After that statement, Sichilima charged and crossed the road to the eastern side and started following the UNIP cadre but the latter was retreating to the UNIP camp behind the shops.
"Kabiyefye Gaston! Gaston ulekwata umuchinshi! Iwe Gaston ulekwata umuchinshi! Kabiyefye Gaston! Ndekuma Gaston!" shouted the UNIP cadre, only identified as Kaziko as he was retreating but Sichilima determinedly followed him.
AVAP monitors and on lookers followed Sichilima trying to persuade him not to fight but the deputy minister continued following Kaziko. The UNIP cadre retreated for about 30 metres.
After AVAP monitors convinced Sichilima and held him by the arm taking him back, Kaziko gained momentum and starting coming forward charging at Sichilima in readiness for a fight.
But Sichilima quickly saw Kaziko coming back and he turned and they started exchanging punches.
This reporter, who stood just about one meter from the scene, saw Sichilima punching the UNIP cadre while the cadre also punched back and it became repeated exchange of fierce fists between them as AVAP monitors struggled to restrain them.
After the UNIP cadre punched him on the face, Sichilima fell to the ground and his still camera and spectacles fell off him.
When Sichilima - who is taller than the UNIP cadre - stood up, he punched the cadre again while the latter retaliated.
Sichilima used his right leg to push away the UNIP cadres before AVAP monitors managed to halt the fierce fight, which attracted several on lookers.
After the fight, Sichilima condemned violence.
"Violence is uncalled for. I am sure you were here when I was trying to make peace with the rest of the people and then the gentleman called Kaito who is from, I think from Lusaka on UNIP side, in company of some man called Rev Banda confronted me being a minister," said Sichilima in an interview. "The only accusation that they are talking about is that of the candidate picking people going to vote and in that vehicle as far as we know there is just the mother, the sisters and some cousins. In any case, if there were two or three other people I don't think he would have left any one of them who are actually his friends."
He said it was not the MMD that was fighting but opposition political parties.
"I must say from the time that I have been here almost three weeks to a month this is the only confrontation that somebody comes in to come and attack me just because I am a minister," Sichilima said "Never mind today is not even a campaign day; it's for the electorate. You are talking about the place where we are here at the junction of Tuta, it's almost five kilometers from where the polling stations are. Why should people fight here? So it's totally uncalled for. This should be a warning even to the police; they need to be aggressive because if a person from nowhere is being attacked then something must be done. "Asked if he would report the incidence to the police, Sichilima responded: "Well, I will leave it for the people because again even if I report, somebody will come and say, 'No! The police has reported this.' But what I am saying is as I am standing I have got youths around me, suppose I had reacted, next morning they were going to say, 'it's the minister who had started the fight'."
And Tembo, who witnessed the fight, said violence was caused by unfairness on the part of the MMD.
"UNIP has observed unfairness on the part of MMD. For them to have a blockade on the road and to say they don't want unregistered minibuses ferrying Musonda's family - because they [MMD] are claiming that in each and every polling station where the MMD are ferrying voters they are saying these are Musonda family. So they [UNIP] are questioning: 'how many families is this MMD candidate having in all the polling stations?' Therefore, we are also wondering, why should you have unregistered vehicles for almost one month going round in the campaigns?" Tembo asked. "As far as we are concerned I think UNIP have got even the Electoral Code of Conduct [booklet] which they are even reading."
He said Sichilima was provoked.
"The coming in of the minister we thought that maybe he was trying to preserve law and order but again he has been provoked by being called...'you are a liar, this is what the law says,'" Tembo said. "Of course he was very annoyed; he had to follow the UNIP cadre. I saw the minister crossing the border [road] going to his [MMD] headquarters again he followed a youth from UNIP called Kaziko then followed him at the corner and I am sure whoever had a camera there must have captured...I think there was some fight. The minister was fully charged saying he is a human being, he can also react. He was trying to educate UNIP youths but they said, 'No! Minister this is what the law says'."
Tembo accused MMD of being desperate.
"I saw youths with catapults. MMD youths are armed with catapults, they can do anything," said Tembo. "The major culprits are the MMD."
An AVAP monitor Simon Chiti said he saw Dr Musonda using an unregistered bus ferrying voters.
"This has happened for about three times or so," said Chiti. "So Rev Banda intervened. After that an MMD official Jonathan Kapungwe came and he started insulting Rev Banda and they almost fought. In fact there was another fight here; a youth in his twenties beat his father because he is MMD and his father is supporting PF. He was saying, 'you are my father, how come you are supporting PF, me your son I am supporting MMD? The situation is terrible here.'"
And a random check at Mabonde and Shadreck Mailo polling stations showed that voting was going on smoothly though the distances between polling stations to another are too long.
Labels: AVAP, GASTON SICHILEMA, RUPIAH BANDA, UNIP
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De-centralization ECZ, AVAP
November 5, 2008
The Anti Voter Apathy Project (AVAP) says there is need to decentralize the Electoral Commission of Zambia in order to have an effective electoral process.
AVAP Executive Director Bonnie Tembo says there is also need for the commission to consistently build capacity among its workers to enable them handle the electoral process effectively.
Mr. Tembo told ZANIS in Lusaka today that decentralizing ECZ would result in delivering election materials and facilitate the electoral process in time adding that this would also restore voter confidence in the country.
He said noted that they were a lot of challenges in the just ended elections especially in delivering election materials on time in distant places because all the materials had to be transported from Lusaka.
And Mr. Tembo has said that the ECZ should in future consider having election materials such as ballot papers printed within the country in order to reduce on the cost of printing them outside the country.
He said the country has sufficient capacity to prepare ballot papers and other materials adding that there is need to resuscitate the government printing department.
Mr. Tembo has also urged the media to report objectively and responsibly on electoral issues in order to avoid confusing stakeholders.
Meanwhile the AVAP Executive Director has commended ECZ and the Zambia Police Service for their capacity to hold elections despite the pressure of organizing the presidential by election in limited time.
The October 30th elections in which four candidates participated was won by MMD’s candidate Rupiah Banda.
ZANIS/CM/AM/ENDS
Labels: AVAP, BONNIE TEMBO, DECENTRALIZATION, ECZ
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