OPPOSITION QUESTIONS ECZ GUIDANCE ON POLITICAL ALLIANCES
By Nelson Zulu
The opposition We Are One Zambia Alliance – WOZA – has expressed concern over guidance issued by the Electoral Commission of Zambia – ECZ – requiring political alliances to be registered before participating in elections and has questioned whether the current registration framework can adequately accommodate such groupings.
In an interview with Phoenix News, WOZA chairperson Sakwiba Sikota says the requirement raises practical and legal questions regarding how political alliances should be recognized and whether existing regulations provide for their registration.
Mr. Sikota further alleged that the Registrar of Societies is unable to accept and process the registration of political alliances, describing the directive as a political gimmick aimed at favouring the party in power.
Meanwhile, Tonse Alliance spokesperson Dr. Lawrence Mwelwa has demanded that the ECZ formally write to all political stakeholders to clarify the guidance, arguing that the commission appears misguided in its actions, particularly given that the UPND Alliance was never registered.
But UPND Alliance chairperson Charles Milupi has dismissed the claims, stating that the law is not new as the Patriotic Front administration applied the same regulation ahead of the 2021 general elections, which compelled the UPND Alliance to field all its candidates under a single recognized political party.
PHOENIX NEWS
The ECZ are the custodians of the electoral process. It is up to the so called alliances to engage the ECZ and see how they can meet the legal requirements or seek clarification.
It is unreasonable for Dr. Lawrence Mwelwa to expect ECZ to write to political parties or alliances over the matter.