MANY YOUTHS HAVEN’T REGISTERED TO VOTE BECAUSE THEY DON’T HAVE NRC’S – ARCHBISHOP CHAMA

MANY YOUTHS HAVEN’T REGISTERED TO VOTE BECAUSE THEY DON’T HAVE NRC’S – ARCHBISHOP CHAMA

ARCHBISHOP Ignatius Chama of the Archdiocese of Kasama says many Christian youths have not registered to vote because they do not have National Registration Cards.

Archbishop Chama says even if the voter registration was to be extended, people in Kasama have now shifted their attention to collecting caterpillars, digging for gold and fighting to get agricultural inputs.

In a statement, Thursday, the Archbishop said he took time during his visits to many parishes and church centres to find out how Christians had responded to his call for them to register as voters.

“Archbishop Ignatius Chama of the Archdiocese of Kasama has said that in many parishes and church centres he has visited, he took it as an opportunity to find out how Christians have responded to his call on them to register as voters during the ongoing voter registration exercise. Archbishop Chama says his findings were that only a small number raised their hands every time he asked them whether they have registered, adding that this is despite the fact that those who were eligible to register were a big number. The Archbishop of Kasama says when he proceeded to ask them, especially the youth, as to why they have not registered, their response was the same, namely they do not have National Registration Cards (NRCs),” the statement read in part.

“He says their expectation was that obtaining NRCs and registering as voters would be done concurrently, explaining that the majority of those wanting to register were those who lost their voters’ cards and therefore needed replacements. The Local Ordinary of the Archdiocese of Kasama says time for obtaining NRCs and subsequently registering as voters has also run out since next week Tuesday, November 11th, is the last day of the voter registration exercise, saying even if the voter registration period is extended, people have now shifted their attention to collecting caterpillars, digging for gold, and fighting to get agricultural inputs”.

Archbishop Chama predicted that only a small number of Zambian citizens would vote in next year’s elections, adding that candidates who would win should therefore not boast of being popular among the electorate.

“Archbishop Chama says it means a very small number of Zambian citizens will vote in next year’s general elections, further stating that candidates who will win the elections will not have to boast that they are popular among the electorate because citizens have been stripped of their right to participate in the governance of the country through voting. The Archbishop has since appealed to the government to ensure that eligible citizens participate in next year’s general elections, further appealing to civil servants who are Catholics to stand on the side of truth by performing their duties with integrity. Archbishop Ignatius Chama said this yesterday, Wednesday, November 5, 2025, during his weekly Wednesday radio program of ‘Ishiwi lyakwa Kacema’ broadcast on Radio Lutanda,” read the statement.

News Diggers