REGISTERING MOZAMBICAN VOTERS IN LUSAKA

ICOULDN’T believe it when I heard from several concerned sources that there was a suspicious or irregular activity taking place in three places; in Matero, Mandevu and Chawama townships in Lusaka.

The allegation was that officials from Mozambique were registering voters for the Presidential election taking place in Mozambique later this year.

This is a noble cause if their law allows.

So why the secrecy and the lack of publicity on the matter?

I found one centre which was issuing CARTÃO DE ELEITOR (voter’s cards).

It was at a private lodge called Heroes Lodge in Mandevu.

I don't know where else this activity is taking place but I personally established this exercise here.

I wondered why such a sensitive programme was being done at a dingy, private and secluded place without official notice or information from the Zambian government since the exercise is taking place in our communities.

I also wondered why Zambians were being registered for an election taking place in Mozambique...if it were Mozambican nationals being targeted, it may be a non-issue.

I also took interest in searching on the Mozambican electoral law.

Apparently, the law does allow Mozambican nationals in the diaspora to vote.

According to their constitution, Article 170,( 2), the Parliament (the Assembly of the Republic) is composed of 250 seats.

They are distributed as follows: 248 are allocated to the 11 internal electoral districts within Mozambique; and two are allocated to the two external electoral districts (‘Africa’ and the ‘rest of the world’).

The rationale behind the creation of electoral districts outside the national boundaries is to preserve the voting rights of migrants.

The provisions of the 1990 constitution, revised in 2004, allow Mozambican citizens living abroad to vote, in their countries of residence, not only for their representatives to the Assembly of the Republic but also in presidential elections.

So, if indeed this is the case, are these Zambians being registered also Mozambican nationals?

Clearly, doing such a sensitive programme inside our communities needed some form of awareness to our people so that they don't raise the alarm and suspicions as has been done so far.

I wait to hear from the Zambian government, the Zambia Police, the Electoral Commission and the Mozambican High Commission in Zambia that appear to be facilitating this irregular and secret process.