Mwenya Musenge raises alarm over ECZ campaign schedule overlaps
…..says implementing an 18:00 hours curfew chokes evening voters
By DAVID KANDUZA
TONSE- Pamodzi Alliance aspiring parliamentary candidate for Chimwemwe Constituency in Kitwe, Copperbelt Province, Mwenya Musenge is raising concerns over the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ)’s campaign timetables at the constituency level due to tight timelines, overlapping schedules and breaches by competing parties.
Mr Musenge is a prominent Zambian politician, former member of Parliament for Chimwemwe and the current leader of the Advocates for People’s Congress (APC) political party.
He is most recognised for his extensive political history on the Copperbelt and his roles within several of Zambia’s major political parties.
Mr Musenge lamented in an interview in Kitwe, that the constituency-level campaign timetables had several key issues and procedural guidelines that needed to come to light such as tight timelines, overlapping schedules and breaches by competing parties.
“Many voters are preoccupied with work or farming during daylight hours. Halting campaign activities at 18:00 hours prevents candidates from hosting evening town halls or community rallies when ordinary citizens are actually free to attend,” he said.
Mr Musenge said when field operations were constrained by tight hourly limitations, the cost-per-reach increased, making it harder for resource-poor candidates to compete with the financial machinery of larger parties.
He disclosed that his rival candidates had failed to adhere to their designated zone and ward timelines, leading to instances where they all end up campaigning in the same area simultaneously.
The ECZ recently expanded the number of parliamentary constituencies from 156 to 226, candidates have a highly compressed window to cover newly mapped geographic boundaries.
Presidential candidates were required to align their nationwide campaign movements with specific local constituency timetables, creating immense scheduling strain for party planners.
Political players and stakeholders are required by law to strictly follow the campaign schedules established by the ECZ.
Political observers have argued that the constituency-level timetables were rigid and unfavourable, but the ECZ and the Zambia Police Service maintain that these schedules were critical for maintaining public order and giving all candidates an equal platform.
The ECZ designed localised campaign timetables to regulate the movement of political actors.
The ECZ said splitting of areas ensured that opposing parties did not hold rallies or meetings at the same venue or time, avoiding physical confrontations.
The schedules were intended to offer ruling party and opposition candidates a fair opportunity to sell their manifestos to the electorate.