ECZ MUST REDEEM ITS CREDIBILITY
THE controversial Kwacha and Kabushi Parliamentary by-elections are now behind us and warm congratulations go to the winners.
My humble message to the newly elected members of Parliament is that time for politics is over, it’s now time to deliver on their campaign promises.
The Kwacha and Kabushi Parliamentary by-elections have in one way or another left a spot on our democracy as their constitutionality has been challenged in the Constitutional Court by The Institute of Law, Policy Research and Human Rights, Green Party President Peter Sinkamba and Governance Activist Isaac Mwanza. ( This article will not discuss the Kwacha and Kabushi by-elections because these matters are in court).
Before the holding of the Parliamentary by-elections at issue, a lot of drama was witnessed that led to some stakeholders accusing the ECZ of losing its credibility.
For instance, Transparency International Zambia President Mr. Maurice Nyambe was quoted by the media as saying that the ECZ had lost the credibility, confidence, and trust of citizens.
Mr. Nyambe was also quoted advising the ECZ to avoid the temptation of being used to advance narrow political interests of political parties and that the institution needs to function as an independent body with the highest level of integrity and professionalism in line with what is stipulated in the constitution and what the institution was mandated it to do.
The ECZ is an important statutory institution in Zambia and at the centre of our democratic development.
However, the protracted court cases and other events that surrounded the two by-elections whose matters are in court have in some way created an impression of a serious paralysis on its credibility and automaticity.
It is right to say that, we cannot change the past, but, we can always learn and improve on them going forward.
Therefore, the ECZ can no longer continue to ignore the calls of civil society, political parties, and other important stakeholders to restore its credibility and voters’ confidence in the electoral process once again.
Even though the ECZ is supposed to function as an independent institution, it will be in their interest not to operate in isolation or secrecy at the expense of the harmonisation that is needed to re-establish their dignity and also in giving true meaning to fairness and transparency, that is required of them in the discharge of their duties.
I will be failing in my strive to do justice to this article without quoting what former US President Barack Obama said to the Ghanaian Parliament on July 11,, 2009 - “Africa doesn’t need strongmen, it needs strong institutions.”
Obama’s quote has come to remain relevant in our African socio-political system because, without strong institutions, we risk having the seemingly frail and flawed systems being taken advantage of which may as a result encourage and or promote all sorts of shenanigans and manoeuverings that may have far-reaching consequences and the propensity to withhold the progress of our nations.
In moving forward, the future conduct and posture or lack thereof of the ECZ will determine whether the institution wants to redeem their perceived lost credibility.
One important question I keep asking myself, which I believe many others also do, is - why do we have a lot of elections being challenged in court if the ECZ still has its credibility?
Our Zambian history tells that - almost every Presidential election has been challenged in court and last year’s general elections alone saw over 60 Parliamentary elections challenged in court.
These statistics underline a source of concern as they indicate the fact that ECZ must indeed work hard to redeem its credibility.
The nature, conduct, and outcome of our elections should be one that will be acceptable to all the players involved, to hold the nation together for genuine reconciliation, peace, stability, and prosperity.
The Electoral Commission is an important statutory institution in Zambia and at the center of our democratic development.
However, the protracted Court cases and other events that surrounded the two by-elections whose matters are in Court have in some way created an impression of a serious paralysis on its credibility and automaticity.