‘TOOTHLESS’ ECZ CASTIGATED
ELECTORAL Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has come under fire for failing to enforce the electoral laws during the just-ended parliamentary by-election in Sesheke and in some wards.
Elections, Advocacy and Research Services (GEARS) executive director Mcdonald Chipenzi castigated the ECZ for failing to enforce the electoral laws despite the elections being marred by violence and electoral malpractices.
He said by failing to deal with the violence and other electoral malpractices, the ECZ had breached section 110 and regulation 10 and 11 of the Electoral process Act and electoral Code of Conduct of 2016.
Mr Chipenzi said it was wrong not to enforce the electoral laws and regulations as the campaigns were marred with electoral malpractice, voting buying and unprecedented violence.
Mr Chipenzi told the Daily Nation yesterday that the ECZ was aware that there was no observance or adherence to the electoral code of conduct, regulations and laws by major participating political parties during the campaign process.
The campaign process was not peaceful, not calm and not orderly as it was characterised by violent incidents, bribery, vote buying and blackmail of voters, Mr Chipenzi said.
He said the reluctance and failure by the ECZ to invoke its powers entrusted on it by the law was unacceptable, adding that this had contributed the continued violence and electoral malpractice that characterised during the campaign process.
“GEARS monitored the campaigns from the start on 10 January, 2019 to 11 February, 2019, hereby wish to share its observations on the campaign process.
“GEARS initiative noted political and electoral violence in some wards such as Anoya Zulu in Chililabombwe, Mkomba in Lundazi and in Sesheke parliamentary by-elections. Non observance of or non- adherence to the electoral code of Conduct, regulations and laws by major participating political parties.
“All this happened but ECZ was reluctant to invoke its powers entrusted on it by the law,” Mr Chipenzi said.
Mkomba and Anoya
Zulu wards and Sesheke parliamentary by-elections reported frequent violent clashes especially between UPND and PF, Mr Chipenzi said.
“The violence and corrupt activities and other malpractices that characterised some of the by-election campaigns and perpetuated by, at times, known political parties and cadres was against the provision of the Constitution that demands, in Article 60 (3)(b)(c), that “a political party shall not engage in or encourage violence or intimidate its members supporters, opponents or other persons, and, engage in corrupt practices,” he said.