Chapter One runs to court over voter registration

CHAPTER One Foundation has petitioned the Constitutional Court alleging that the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has breached the Constitution by restricting Voter registration to 30 days.

Cleophas Lungu, who is the chairperson, cited the Attorney General Likando Kalaluka and ECZ as respondents in the matter.

Chapter One Foundation wants the court to order the state to implement the mobile issuance of NRCs throughout the country and an order for the ECZ to carry out continuous voter registration between elections.

The petition follows an announcement that the period for the voter registration had been reduced to 30 days.

According to the petition, Chapter One Foundation, which is a non-governmental organisation, argued that implementing the issuance of National Registry Cards (NRC) in a manner is was being done was a contravention of the Constitution.

The petitioner relied on Article 128 (1) (b) of the Constitution of Zambia and alleged that the actions taken by Government and ECZ are a violation of the Constitution. It added the court has jurisdiction to determine the petition.

It also relied on Article 128 (3) (b) of the Constitution and alleges that the decision made in the exercise of the legislative mandate to register citizens and register voters is unconstitutional.

Chapter One Foundation argued that Government has been implementing the issuance of NRCs to citizens pursuant to the national registration act chapter 126 of the laws of Zambia.

It stated that the registration of citizens in accordance with the national registration act chapter 126 of the laws of Zambia had been accelerated by the policy of mobile registration in various parts of the country.

The petitioner stated that Government has not rolled out the mobile registration to all parts of the country and further that the registration services are not uniformly available to all citizens.

The NGO argued that following the 2016 Constitutional amendment, the electoral process Act was amended to provide for continuous voter registration to be carried out by ECZ.

According to the petitioner, ECZ has wilfully or in ignorance of the law acted outside perimeters of Constitutional limits.

"The respondents in undertaking national registration and deciding to undertake voter registration have neglected to apply the principles that apply to the system of elections in Zambia which principles are mandatory," read part of the petition.