N/WEST ELDERS NOD PRINTING BALLOTS LOCALLY
By JACKSON MAPAPAYI THE North Western Development Council of elders says the pronouncements by government to print the 2021 ballot papers locally using Government Printers will reduce the cost of holding the elections.
Organisation chairman, Lucas Chikoti, told the Daily Nation in an interview that Government’s resolve to print ballot papers locally was progressive as it was meant to cut on the cost of holding elections.
Mr Chikoti said the move requires the support of all stakeholders because it is well intended.
He also observed that the printing of ballot papers locally will also empower the Government Printers.
"For us as an organisation we welcome the move by Government because as earlier stated, it will drastically reduce the cost of holding the elections,” Mr Chikoti said.
Mr Chikoti appealed to all electoral stakeholders in the country to support the plan and to develop confidence in the country’s institutions of governance such as the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ).
He stated that printing of ballot papers locally will also ease the monitoring of the process as it will widen the participation of more electoral stakeholders.
"In the past, very few electoral stakeholders have been managing to monitor the whole electoral process simply because of the cost attached to travelling to the country were the ballot papers are printed. But with the move that government has made, I’m sure a lot of stakeholders will be fully involved in the whole electoral process, " said Mr Chikoti.