THE ruling Patriotic Front has insisted that the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) should discard the current voters’ register to avoid electoral malpractices.
And the PF says those with divergent views within the party should be listened to and embraced.
Addressing a rally at Kapwelyomba Grounds in Lusaka’s Chelston area, Lusaka Province PF secretary Kennedy Kamba said the ruling party was convinced that there were many people who had died and moved, hence the need for a completely new register.
’Tuyeni tucite sensitise abantu. We want to bring the voter registration pa ward level so that ama ward officials mwambe ukulaleta amabranches nama sections kukulembebesha. Tatulefwaya abantu abafwa nabo balevota. Mwalimonako umuntu uwafwa avota? (Let’s sensitise the people. We want to bring the voter registration [exercise] to ward level so that ward officials should start bringing branch and section members to register. We don’t want the dead to vote. Have you ever seen a dead person vote),’’ he asked on Saturday, as the audience responded in the negative. “Register iyakwata ba Electoral Commission of Zambia naikala for 20 years. Bushe mu 20 years tapali umuntu uwafwapo muli ilya register? Bengi sana, tefyo? Nga abakuka? Bambi baleikala ku Munali bakukila ku Chawama, bambi baleikala ku Chawama bakukila ku Chongwe. Bushe nga twalalanda ati tucite review voters’ register ba PF ninshi tuleiba ama vote? (The register that the Electoral Commission of Zambia has existed for 20 years. And within the 20 years, hasn’t anyone in that register died? There are so many, not so? What about those who have moved? Some were living in Munali, they have moved to Chawama, others were living in Chawama, they have moved to Chongwe. So, when we say let us review the voters’ register, are we stealing votes as the PF?)”
And in a statement, Kamba encouraged fellow party members to accommodate those with divergent views.
He said there were so many youths with divergent views who needed to be brought closer.
“We want to assure all young people who belong to the PF and those that believe in our ideologies and are supporters of President [Edgar] Lungu that the party will never leave you alone. The PF is a people’s movement and we all need to work together to ensure that President Lungu continues to enjoy massive support countrywide. There should be no room for divisions,” Kamba said. “Those with divergent views must be embraced and their concerns listened to within the rank and file of the party. There should be no issues and differences that should be bigger than the important interests of the party. Today we may have some groups of young people with different ideas and approach to politics. Let us embrace them and see how we work together in a peaceful manner and within the confines of the law.”
He appealed to party members to, “approach the dynamics of politics with sobriety to avoid being misled or used by desperate opposition politicians with a selfish agenda”.
“There are too many manipulators out there who have been bought by the opposition to insult the PF government and they are busy recruiting unsuspecting youths to hate the PF. It is the young generation that has seen the PF grow from strength to strength,” said Kamba. “President Edgar Lungu, who deeply cherishes and appreciates the efforts of young people, has since directed all Cabinet ministers to ensure that they come up with deliberate and practical ideas of youth empowerment, and to deal critically with the plight of youths within their line ministries. Our appeal to young people in the PF [is] refrain from acts that may endanger your lives by being in conflict with the law. Adopt civil means of engagement whenever aggrieved.”