VERNON Mwaanga says the absence of an even and fair access to the public media shrinks the democratic window of having free, fair, transparent and democratic elections.
He says, “Our country cannot and should not have another disputed election.”
Meanwhile, Mwaanga, a veteran politician, says Zambia is going through unbearable economic hardships.
He said holding free, fair, transparent elections, enhances democracy.
Mwaanga said Zambians have a right to know what all the political parties participating in an election are offering them, to enable them make informed choices on voting day.
“The absence of even and fair access to the public media shrinks the democratic window of free, fair, transparent and democratic elections,” Mwaanga said in a statement. “Election results must truly, fairly and genuinely reflect the wishes of the people. Elections are not a single event; they are a process which must be fair and transparent at all stages.”
On Wednesday, News Diggers carried a lead story quoting American Charge d’Affaires David Young, raising alarm about the unfairness of the current election campaigns, where the government and PF officials are being allowed to campaign freely in some parts of the country, while opposition candidates are being prevented from campaigning freely.
Mwaanga noted that already, there were issues relating to how National Registration Cards (NRCs) and the voter registration were handled in some areas.
He said a close examination of provincial, district and constituency voter numbers clearly shows that in some areas, the number of voters is lower than the number of voters who were registered in 2016.
“The Electoral Commission of Zambia had issued estimates of capturing over nine million voters during the voter registration exercise; the number of young people who have become eligible to vote since 2016. They only captured seven million voters,” he said. “Regrettably, this ECZ target became a bridge too far and no logical explanation was offered.”
Mwaanga noted that people now live in a global village where what happens in one country attracts attention everywhere.
He wondered how an unfair campaign environment, as what is happening now in Zambia, could produce a fair election outcome.
“My answer is no,” Mwaanga said, further regretting that the public media continue to display outright bias in favour of the PF.
“They (voters) have a right to know what solutions all the participating political parties are going to [offer to] solve these issues which have a direct bearing on their daily lives. Opposition candidates continue to be denied equal [media] access as required by the UN, AU and SADC guideline. The opposition get publicity mainly only when there is something negative to report about them.”