Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba wrote;
“Yes we pay youth groups and the media prior to by-elections”-ECZ
In my article; “Deep Lessons from Petauke -When the Will of the People cannot be Bought or Subverted”, I accused among others, the Electoral Commission of Zambia of engaging in electoral mischief and misconduct citing payments they make to youth groupings and the media prior to the by-elections. I also condemned the voter registration exercise conducted by ECZ during this period designed, in my view, to literally allow non-voters to participate in elections.
Below is the ECZ Response;
ECZ RESPONDS TO EMERGING ISSUES IN THE PETAUKE BY-ELECTION
The Electoral Commission of wishes to respond to assertions attributed to Mr
Emmanuel Mwamba’s article titled “Deep Lessons from Petauke -When the Will of
the People cannot be Bought or Subverted”
1. Allegations of sponsored youth groups and paid for media
●The Commission has always held one-day youth conferences whenever there
is a by-election for Mayor/ Council Chairperson and National Assembly, as part
of its broader stakeholder engagement efforts.
These conferences bring together youth representatives from various political parties, civil society organizations, and religious institutions, among others.
For instance in 2020 during the Lukashya and Mwansabombwe Constituency
Parliamentary by-elections, the Commission held youth conferences in both constituencies.
Further, a youth conference was held in Petauke in 2021 during Kaumbwe Parliamentary election.
In light of this established practice, the convening of youth meetings in this
manner does not constitute sponsorship but rather serves as a platform for engagement and dialogue thereby enhancing compliance with the electoral code of conduct.
● In addition, the Commission wishes to state that the role of the media in the electoral process cannot be over emphasized. It is important to note that whenever the Commission conducts a parliamentary by-election, it has traditionally covered the costs of candidate interviews on national and local radio stations.
This initiative provides all participating candidates with an equal opportunity to present their manifestos to the public. In addition, he presence of the media in the conduct of by-elections, ensures that members of the public are kept informed on all electoral activities.
The Commission collaborates with both public and private media to ensure
comprehensive coverage of electoral activities. This practice has been
consistently upheld over the years to ensure a fair and transparent electoral process.
