CALL ON GOVT TO REVIEW CONTRACT FOR PRINTING OF BALLOT PAPERS SIGNED BETWEEN ECZ AND AL GHURAIR OF DUBAI
By Patricia Male
Electoral Expert Macdonald Chipenzi says the forthcoming Kabushi and Kwacha Parliamentary by elections could have been an opportunity for the Electoral Commission of Zambia –ECZ- to pilot the printing of ballot papers locally.
Mr. Chipenzi however notes that since there is a contract that was already signed between ECZ and Al-Ghurair Printing and Publishing Company of Dubai, there is need to review the contract to avoid further wastage of resources due to distance to print the ballot papers.
He tells Phoenix News that since government has demonstrated zeal to manage public resources prudently and has canceled certain contracts, it should also consider doing the same for the contract on printing of ballot paper.
Meanwhile, Mr. Chipenzi is urging political parties to adopt individuals who will not cause unnecessary nomination petitions to not only avoid inconveniencing other political parties, ECZ and other stakeholders in the election monitoring field but prove too expensive to genuinely nominated candidates who may have to pay twice nomination fees in an event of fresh nominations as a result of court action.
The Electoral Commission of Zambia has set Thursday 15th September 2022 as the date on which the kabushi and kwacha by-elections will be held after the two seats where nullified by the constitutional court.
PHOENIX NEWS