Don’t intimidate ECZ, HH told

UPND should desist from intimidating the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) as such actions have the potential to jeopardise its potential to deliver on its mandate, political analyst Alex Ng’oma has said.

Dr Ng’oma said in an interview yesterday that even when it was important for opposition political parties to give checks and balances to ECZ, it was unacceptable to intimidate the institution.

He said that unnecessary attacks on ECZ should be strongly condemned so that officers were not demoralized.

Dr Ngoma, who is a political science lecturer at the University of Zambia, was reacting to UPND president, Hakainde Hichilema’s accusations that the commission was a puppet of the ruling Patriotic Front.

He challenged the UPND leader to produce evidence to prove the allegations.

Dr Ng’oma reiterated that the opposition must stop dictating to ECZ without reasonable cause on how it should execute its mandate.

He said it was irresponsible for people to degrade an independent institution which was executing its duties diligently.

“It was incumbent upon those who visit the institution not to intimidate or dictate instructions. It is important that whoever has a complaint go there with a sober mind.

It is also prudent that they go there with substantial evidence to show the commission that this is what we have which is happening on the ground whenever there are elections,” Dr Ng’oma said.