By Brightwell Chabusha
President Edgar Lungu has said the government will investigate inefficiencies at the Electoral Commission of Zambia with regard to the voter registration exercise.
Speaking when he met Chiefs in Siavonga district today, President Lungu, however, called on the Chiefs to ensure people register in numbers.
” Issues such as voter registration, we are getting those sentiments that we should probably implore the Electoral Commission of Zambia to extend the period, but what we should do now is to encourage people to register instead of asking for an extension. Let us encourage people to go and register now before we cry for an extension because most people are not registering; they are getting reports that it takes too long, because of the inefficiency of the Electoral Commission of Zambia,” President Lungu said. “We will investigate what is going on at ECZ as far as this inefficiency is concerned and address that and hope that by 12th, we would have registered as many people as possible. If we keep saying let’s extend , let’s extend it, there will be lethargy and people will stop going there and say I will register when they extend. So let us encourage them now when we still have two weeks, I think we can get the numbers that we require.”
And speaking at the launch of the Fish Harvesting Vessel at Yalelo Fisheries and the project for Kamimbi and Buyantanshi cooperatives in Siavonga today, President Lungu said the Zambia Aquaculture Enterprise Development project launched on 21st October 2017, in Lusaka now has over 1000 Zambian owned aquaculture value chain projects approved.
He said the projects are valued at K195 million and are currently receiving the funds.
“This is testimony that my government is committed to actualising the promises it makes. Indeed, we are walking the talk,” President Lungu said.