FDD URGES CHURCH, CIVIL SOCIETY TO RESIST CONTROVERSIAL 2026 ELECTORAL AMENDMENT BILL.
The FDD wishes to call upon the church, civil societies and the general citizenry to take keen interest and fight to the core the Proposed Electoral Process ( Amendment ) BILL 2026 which has been designed to cripple the rights of citizens and organisations in the electoral processes as acceptable in a democratic environment.
The proposed amendments in the electoral process bill such as giving the party secretary general inherent powers to single handedly decide the fate of an organization, the proposal that a voter leaves the polling stations immediately they cast their vote and that the official mark be removed from a ballot paper are some of the dangerous things which must not be entertained in our Electoral Process .
The FDD is fully aware that just like Bill 7 , where President Hakainde Hichilema has confessed to having dribbled the Members of Parliament to vote For Bill 7, the UPND together with their cadres at ECZ are desperately putting the Mingalato ( criminality) in our legal frameworks with particular focus to entrench their hold on to power.
As a party, we want to warn Mr Hichilema and all his surrogates at ECZ that zambians will not be held hostage because the UPND and ECZ want to satisfy the ego of one man. The law is not made for President Hichilema but for every zambian whom it must serve justiciably.
The FDD hence demands that the Bill be postponed until after the general elections scheduled for 13 August 2026. We know that the UPND are in high gear to push for laws which stifle competition and fairness in elections and other democratic processes.
It is so worrying that Mr Hichilema and the UPND are determined to start fixing things such as the official mark on the ballot which are not broken. This shows insincerity on the man who ascended to presidency on the promise of adherence to rule of law and respect for Democratic processes. It is however shameful that the Angel as transitioned into the devil himself who is racking havoc all over.
In a properly run society, enactment of laws are smooth and not contested. Consensus is not forced but achieved through a common interest.
Issued by
Anthony Chibuye FDD Spokesperson