By MacDonald Chipenzi
THE ISSUE OF FOREIGN VOTERS, HOW REAL?
There have been media reports that foreign nationals found their way into the Zambian electoral register and are ready to effectively participate in the August 12 General Election.
Zambia is surrounded by and has a long undefined borderline with 8 neighbours which borderline is porous as there are no serious physical features defining it and preventing peoples of these countries from entering Zambia at will.
The only border with a defined physical feature is Zimbabwe which has the Zambezi River defining the borderline even that is not a big hindrance.
To this end, free movements of people using informal entries than defined immigration points is very common and having people with duo citizenship, moreso that Zambia allows that, has become the order of the day.
So, the borderlines of Muchinga, Eastern, Luapula, Northern, Northwestern and Westen provinces remain potential hubs for such scenarios.
So the reality of having such voters staying in other countries but registered in Zambia in search of duo benefits is possible reality.
Now, can a foreigner vote in Zambia? The answer is NO because all those with Green NRCs are Zambians automatically and entitled to register as voters if they meeting the voting qualifications (ie. Attained age of 18 Years and above on voting day, possession of a GREEN NRC).
ECZ only registers those persons in possession of Green NRCs and have reached 18 years or above on the day of voting as voters so all those suspected foreign voters who have Green NRCs and are 18 and above are Zambians and entitled to vote in Zambia regardless of where they are domiciled now.
So what do we need to do since the Ministry of Homes Affairs allegedly issued these so called foreigners with Green NRCs which entitle them to register as voters and vote in any election?
All aspiring candidates and political parties must reach out to them and canvass for their electoral support because, regardless of what we say and do, they are already in the register and are part of the 7m voters for the August 12 General Election.
Even if we prob as long as it is established they applied for citizenship, the duo citizenship clause comes into effect and neutralises the claim.
Let us ensure that as long as they have the Green NRC and registered in Zambia as voters, they must be reached for voter and civic education and all candidates and political parties must have equal chance to reach out to them.
Hope i have made it clear
I submit