DISCLOSE DELIMITATED CONSTITUENCIES, DEMANDS MUNDUBILE
BRIAN Mundubile has challenged the Electoral Commission of Zambia to clearly state and disclose which constituencies across the 10 provinces have been delimitated amid growing fears that it has conducted the process in a secretive manner.
Mr. Mundubile, the Patriotic Front presidential candidate says the delimitation of constituencies, was nearing its finalisation as was announced by the ECZ yet stakeholders had not been informed of which constituencies were affected.
“Do you know any of the constituencies that are being delimited now? Have you seen the delimitation report? There is no delimitation report that anyone knows about,” he said.
In an interview yesterday, Mr. Mundubile, the PF Mporokoso Member of Parliament recalled that recommendations arising from the 2019 process proposed an equitable distribution of constituencies across provinces.
“Our minimum expectation is that Government will follow the recommendation from the select committee, which was that there should be a minimum of seven constituencies per province,” Mr Mundubile said.
“That is why the number was upgraded to 70, so that every province could get seven.”
He stressed that the exercise should be uniform and fair and that the ECZ should endeavour to inform Zambians which of the 150 constituencies had been delimitated.
“We don’t expect some constituencies to receive 10 while others receive three,” he said. “There is supposed to be a uniform and equitable distribution of these constituencies.”
Mr. Mundubile expressed concern that the ECZ appeared to be concluding the delimitation exercise without engaging stakeholders.
“So far, it looks like the ECZ is finalising the delimitation exercise without stakeholders knowing which constituencies are being delimited. There is no stakeholder engagement whatsoever. They are relying on their limited wisdom and knowledge to do everything to the end,” Mr Mundubile said.
He described the secretive delimitation process as alarming, noting that constituency delimitation was a sensitive national issue that needed broader stakeholder consultations.
“It’s very disturbing indeed. You can’t do a delimitation exercise in that fashion,” Mr Mundubile said. “This is a highly contentious matter that must be discussed with stakeholders at local level. But in this particular case, it’s just being done. The delimitation is being done from State House.”
And Mr Mundubile has accused the ECZ of turning a blind eye to what he described as blatant electoral malpractices, including the buying of voters’ cards in highly populated areas by the UPND in the Kasama Mayoral by-election.
“They are turning a blind eye to these clear electoral malpractices. That is the only issue we have,” he said. “We want the ECZ to move in and do the right thing. We can’t be in a country that is full of lawlessness.”
Daily Nation Zambia
That’s the foolishness of Sunday Chanda, Sibongile Mwamba, Christopher Kangombe, Mulenga Kampamba and the whole rot who voted for the illegitimate and unconstitutional Bill 7 with a lot of Unknowns. They didn’t know what is in the demitation report, the revisions done to the 2019 Delimitation Report. They have never seen and will never see the Delimitation Report, but they voted for the Stealthy Bill.
All the country will see is Hakainde’s ECZ releasing the additional Constituencies..As to the criteria used to distribute the 70 additional Constituencies, all will be under wraps.
Yes they will do some fake engagement with so called Stake holders, typical of the sham Mushabati Technical Committee. Nothing will change what they already have.
Already we have people like Sikaile Sikaile talking about Sichifulo constituency???!!!
How he knows that we will have this constituency beats my mind.
Hakainde’s Zambia.
Rabies are treatable.
Kolwe uchaponoka enda na fyonona.