Africa-Press – Zambia. Electoral Commission of Zambia corporate affairs manager Patricia Luhanga makes her submission at the News Diggers! And OSISA round table conference on fair media coverage during elections at Le Elementos Hotel in Lusaka on May 8, 2021 – Picture by Tenson Mkhala
THE Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has explained that elections that will be cancelled 30 days outside the August polls will be held after the August 12 elections.
In an interview, ECZ corporate affairs manager Patricia Luhanga said the commission will wait for official communication before announcing the cancellation of elections following the deaths of nominated members of parliament that have occurred in the last few days.
“So there are also deaths that are obviously circulating on social media and we do not base that as a way for us to be able to indicate that there is a vacancy. There are always official channels of communication that we deal with. For instance, if the resignation happens today and our district electoral officer or indeed ourselves, receive formal communication after one week for instance, we will have to determine the formal communication period that later come to us to indicate that indeed there is a death or there is a resignation that has happened. So it’s not that when you see information circulating on social media, that is what the commission will base on, no, we are very careful. We do understand sometimes social media can create stories around people. You and I know that at times they have said someone has died when they are alive,” she said.
Luhanga explained that the 30 days in which an election should be held after cancellation can fall outside the August 12 elections. “When you look at the statement that we issued that said 30 days, so the commission determines every date around the other activities that happen. So the 30 days is just a guidance, it can fall outside the 12 August poll depending on when the occurrence gets to the commission. This is what I was trying to explain to you. If for instance a candidate resigns or dies in the 30 days that is outside the 12 August, the constitution doesn’t say it should be within the 12 August, if that were the case we wouldn’t have by-elections because then we would wait until the next cycle of elections to happen. So the constitution simply says within 30 days and that within 30 days once they file in nominations,” Luhanga said.
“So you will see there is going to be a difference but those that are coming in now, which is definitely about 50 days or so before the polls, those can be accommodated into the 12 August. Those that will come outside will be dealt with outside the 12th of August. What we are doing as a commission is we are being very careful as to receive official information which we are saying formal communication and not to rely on social media.”
And Luhanga stated that the Commission will stick to its position despite some sections of society being of the view that their action to cancel some elections is illegal.
“I think for us we will still refer you to the same constitutional provision. We guided and our position still remains as we guided. Those that feel the move is illegal, obviously they have got the right to say what they want but at the same time we are not the people that are going to come in and justify the illegality. So for now, we have guided as the commission and we will stick to the statement that we issued in accordance with Article 52(6) of the Constitution of Zambia,” said Luhanga.
