By Lukundo Nankamba
The Christian Churches Monitoring Group –CCMG- has demanded that the Electoral Commission of Zambia –ECZ- allows accredited monitors and observers to observe the continued voter registration as a way of increasing transparency and accountability in the electoral process.
The coalition comprising of church mother bodies has since urged the ECZ to quickly normalize the processes and facilitate for the accreditation of voter registration monitors as opposed to the present situation where despite the commission having started the registration process no clear position and direction on accreditation of monitors has been given.
Speaking on behalf of the coalition CCMG Interim Chairperson Emmanuel Chikoya says the coalition is hopeful that the process will meet issues raised in the 2020 mobile voter registration exercise.
Fr. Chikoya says there is also need for the ecz to ensure people with disability have access to registration centres addressing these challenges they face in order to increase inclusivity in the voter registration process.
He says the commission should provide sufficient voter registration education targeting youths, women and persons with disabilities, which should be done by various stakeholders including civil society organizations, faith-based organizations, and political parties in addition to the ECZ’s voter education programme.
PHOENIX NEWS