Africa-Press – Zambia. Governance expert Reuben Lifuka has described the visit by the SADC Electoral Advisory Council to conduct a post-election review of Zambia’s 2016 and 2021 general elections as too late to have meaningful impact.
Mr. Lifuka is of the view that conducting a post-election mission nearly four years after the 2021 polls is misplaced, stating that had the review been conducted earlier, it would have given the UPND administration an opportunity to address some of the flaws experienced in the 2021 general elections.
In an interview with Phoenix News, Mr. Lifuka is calling on SADC to review its own electoral protocols, arguing that such an important assessment should not be undertaken so late in the electoral cycle.
Despite describing the mission as delayed, Mr. Lifuka says it remains important for the Electoral Advisory Council to genuinely listen to the views of all stakeholders it will engage, noting that the region must move away from the perception that regional bodies only conduct reviews for appearance’s sake.
He has also urged government to ensure that it acts on the recommendations that will be made by the Council, especially as the country has only a few months remaining before this year’s polls.
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