K10m released for 2019 delimitation process - Veep
VICE-PRESIDENT Inonge Wina has told Parliament that the Ministry of Finance has so far released K10million towards the constituencies delimitation programme.
Ms Wina also disclosed that Parliament had approved a budget of K55m for a country-wide delimitation programme to be done this year.
Ms Wina said the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) was mandated to continually undertake the delimitation of constituencies and wards.
She said that in view of the constitutional and statutory mandate, the ECZ has commenced the process of delimitating constituencies, wards and polling districts as a prerequisite to the registration of voters. “Mr Speaker the Commission has briefed all district electoral officers, town clerks, council secretaries and district planning officers from all the 116 districts on their roles in the delimitation process and on the factors and criteria that will be used to demarcate the boundaries,” said Ms Wina.
And the Vice President said the ECZ has commenced consulting stakeholders on the process and meetings with the House of Chiefs to orient them on the delimitation exercise.
She said Members of Parliament were also aware of the process because the Commission also brief the political parties’ liaison committee on the process.
Ms Wina appealed to MPs to support the process at all levels as it was intended to promote effective representation of citizens and make the electoral services more accessible to them.