By CIC Editors.
CIC EDITORIAL ANALYSIS.
OVR (ONLINE VOTER REGISTRATION) THE PUBLIC VIRUS.
We have been going through the OVR system as reported yesterday. We have found the system to be very unique, interactive and innovative but a dangerous political virus 🦠 for 2021 general election.
We wish we could go through step by step here in explaining what we think should have been or not but we take the I.T that did the designing really did their homework especially on the database which is our area of concern as CIC because we understand this field of technology like ABCD…..to Z
Understanding , appreciating and accepting OVR we need to first answer these scenarios and factors.
1. COMPUTER LITERATE LEVELS IN ZAMBIA
The ministry of Education through ZICTA rolled out computer studies as a mandatory subject in primary schools in 2015. From 2015 to 2020 it’s 4 years and those are in grade 8 between 2015 and 2020 are aware of one or two things about the computer.
In urban areas certain quarters of society are computer literate at an armature level a proportion not compatible to the nearest understanding of OVR.
In deep rural areas where not even a singlet ISP (Internet Service Provider) is available this will be a huge challenge because the only thing that part of the world will manage is to keep their old voters cards especially the 2011 one’s. Verifying or re-registration will be very difficult hence OVR is not useful and it won’t be accepted here.
2. NETWORK COVERAGE IN ZAMBIA.
According to our research a huge chunk of Zambia is not covered by the mobile telephone networks to support OVR.
4 G as maximum and 3 G as minimum internet coverage routed by the top 3 network providers such as Zamtel, Airtel and MTN that supports OVR on any Mobile phone with less than 4.0 Android OS for OVR to be supported as a lowest device.
All mobile phones below Android 4.0 OS will not support OVR because even if their maximum protocol is 2 G these devices will need to be replaced with upper versions above 4.0 even if they are in a radius coverage of 4 G or 3 G.
However all the 3 ISPs in Zambia have at least 3G coverage as the minimum and 4 G as maximum internet speed in all the 10 provincial capitals in Zambia not to all the districts which according to our research comprises of a huge population.
3. PUBLIC SENSITIZATION AND LEGAL BACKGROUND TO OVR.
OVR will be now a topic of conversation at every point. The launch of it by force from ECZ against all manner of advice from civil society organizations and political parties puts it in more questionable angle than appreciation even if it means well.
The OVR leaflets needed to flood the country in all local languages and arts than just press statements.
The huge public domain in Zambia don’t even know what this OVR is and it’s use the ECZ needed more time and resources to sensitize the general public of what’s coming and for what.
The legal profession has noted that the inception of OVR into service especially to a sensitive exercise like that of 2021 general elections is not yet supported by any legal articles in the Constitution or at parliament exposing the matter to a legal contest in court.
As CIC here is our understanding of OVR and recommendations to stakeholders and political parties.
ADVANTAGES OF OVR.
1. It is very easy to use and interactive.
2. New voters in Zambia can choose where to register from at the palms of their hands.
3. Old voters can change where to vote from at the time of 2021 general elections away from their previous stations.
4. Diaspora community have a chance to register as voters in Zambia provided they have NRCs of Zambia.
5. All Zambians with access to internet can take the role of ECZ in facilitating the registration of their colleagues and families.
6. Any location can be a point of registration.
DISADVANTAGES OF OVR
1. Only easy to people with IT and internet understanding of things .
2. Not available to all Zambians without smart phones.
3. Not clear what Bill 10 will affect the database of delimitation and those districts under formations.
4. OVR has not answered the new stations or old ones.
5. OVR is heavily seating on 2011 voter registration infrastructure database.
6. OVR has not disclosed how secure it’s servers are and where they are being hosted from and who is managing them.
7. OVR has not been approved by ZICTA (Zambia Information and Communication Technology Authority),NSTC (National Science and Technology Council),EIZ (Engineering Institution of Zambia) the 3 tech bodies of Zambia have been silent on OVR especially after it’s launch there has been no statement from them.
8. OVR has not yet been tested for bugs, datahacking etc.
9. OVR has not yet explained how it will be updating the database if extreme changes takes effect such as new districts, wards, polling stations etc.
10. OVR has not yet been widely advertised to be known by every single Zambian.
11. OVR can aide rigging for PF very much easy with less stress.
12. OVR needs all inclusive investigations before it’s given the mandate for this mammoth undertaking.
13. OVR has discarded the old voter register of 2011.
RECOMMENDATIONS TO POLITICAL PARTIES.
1. In 3 months recruit and assemble high tech neds in your political structures to manage handle OVR.
2. Sponsor and Assemble OVR Agent’s in your places as soon as possible to assist online voter registration.
3. Take OVR to court or completely take it out because it has more homework on itself before handling the elections.
4. Equip your members and officials with smart gadgets.
5. Pay attention to the changes of OVR with respect to the current political affair of Zambia.
6. Encourage your members to register manually.
RECOMMENDATIONS TO STAKEHOLDERS (CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS)
1. Summon OVR to the public scrutiny.
2. Translate OVR into 7 local languages to be heard by everyone.
3. Sponsor Radio,TV,Newspaper, Social media debates on OVR to be known of its other identities not known by common Zambians.
4. Sponsor school games in form of Debates and quizzes.
5. Petition ECZ to withdraw OVR and reserve it for 2026 general elections as it needs more time .
CONCLUSION.
OVR is a good innovation to Zambia as it bridges the gap of voter registration exercise from manual to auto thence reducing government cost and expenditure however it has more issues to first consider for it risks breeding public disorder where the 2021 general election is concerned.
Credits : CIC IT Researchers.
CIC PRESS TEAM