Africa-Press – Zambia. A consortium of civil society organisation has now argued the Electoral Commission of Zambia must extend the registration period by 3 days.
Speaking during a press briefing today at Mika Lodge this morning, YALI President Andrew Ntewewe who dubs as Consortium Chairperson said in view of the fact that ECZ has already captured 75 percent of eligible voters, an addition extension of 3 days will help capture 85 percent of eligible voters.
“We think the shorter extension will afford 80 to 85 percent of the eligible population to vote. Secondly, those against the use of the new register are bent on wanting the Commission to run out of time to conduct other processes that add to the integrity of the voter register. An elongated extension will render delivering other activities impossible,” he said.
The CSOs said there are so many other processes in the electoral cycle which include removing of multiple entries which may be identified, correcting the missing data especially fingerprints, inspection, independent audit and certification of the register. These are elaborate processes which require adequate time!
Meanwhile the Consortium has taken a swipe at the Christian Coalition Monitoring Group for what it termed as unbecoming conduct in which some church mother-bodies, while professing to be neutral monitors, have continued to take a partisan stance against or in favour of political players.
“Some of the statements issued by this so-called independent monitor of the electoral process show a clear bias. Some of the church leaders in CCMG have already indicated they want to use the debt issue as a campaign tool against the Lungu administration while imploring their colleagues in the opposition to begin to state how they shall deal with the debt when they get into power,” he said.
The Consortium includes Young African Leaders Initiative, Advocacy for National Development and Democracy, Zambian Institute of Governance and Civil Liberties Platform, University of Zambia Students Union, Zambians for Unity, Peace and Development, and Common Ground Network.
