COLONEL Panji Kaunda says voter registration should not be left to government and Electoral Commission of Zambia to conduct.
Commenting on the voter registration exercise which commenced yesterday, Col Panji said every Zambia should take interest in the voter registration exercise.
“I think it is in the interest of every Zambian to register to vote if they reach the acceptable age. If those who are in the opposition are not allowed to go round the country to encourage members of the community to register, the exercise might fail,” he warned. “You can’t register nine million people who are targeted for by ECZ in a month in such a silent manner, it might be difficult to achieve.”
Col Panji appealed to all political parties especially those in opposition to get involved in sensitising the people to register as voters.
“Let the political parties especially those in opposition send their men and women to every corner of this country to sensitise Zambians that they must register whether they registered in 2016 or not, their vote will not count unless they have a new card,” he said. “Most people in rural areas have no idea about this exercise. Our appeal is to the government, those who stop our opposition political parties to go round the country, to stop it and allow them to go round the country.”
Col Panji said the opposition should mobilise their supporters, countrywide, to register.
“It is obvious that the PF will do that quietly on their own in their strong areas and they might sabotage the areas where they think the opposition is strong so that they don’t have numbers to register,” he said. “So we must fight that abuse which is there so that the Chishimba Kambwilis, the Kalabas, the Hakaindes and the Milupis of this world are free to go round the country and mobilise their members or any Zambian to register.”
Col Panji said if all the people get involved in the voter registration it would be better for democracy in the country.
“Democracy is about numbers, the more we register as voters the better the democracy. You cannot be celebrating of having brought democracy if you cannot attract the people to register as voters,” he said. “Time for campaigns will come but for now it is a civic responsibility for everybody including yourselves the press to sensitise Zambians about this exercise.”
Col Panji appealed to Zambians to get involved in the exercise and make a difference.
“Others may not like the exercise but it is there. You can’t change it and you can’t boycott it either. So let’s get involved and make a difference in this country,” said Col Panji.