ECZ SAYS IT HAS NO LEGAL BASIS TO MAKE ASSET DECLARATION PUBLIC
By Nelson Zulu
The Electoral Commission of Zambia-ECZ says although article 100(1)(h) of the constitution of Zambia (amendment) Act of 2016 requires presidential candidates to declare their assets and liabilities, the commission has no legal basis to make those declarations public.
In an interview with Phoenix News, ECZ Chief Electoral Officer Brown Kasaro said the commission will maintain its previous practice of receiving the declarations without disclosing them to the public during this year’s electoral cycle.
Mr. Kasaro said publishing the information could conflict with other laws governing the protection of personal information, including the Data Protection Act.
He said the commission must comply with all applicable legal requirements when handling the declarations and cannot treat the matter in isolation from other legislation.
Mr. Kasaro said any move toward public disclosure would require a broader legal review to ensure that all relevant provisions are properly aligned before the information can be released.
PHOENIX NEWS