By Sikaile C Sikaile
THERE IS TOO MUCH ARROGANCE AND DISHONEST IN ECZ AND PF DEALINGS
We would like to strongly warn the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ )over it’s continued collusion with PF over the voter registration process ahead of 2021 elections. Unequivocally, I remind ECZ chairman Chulu and chief executive Shindano, to stop their Treasonable arrogant and do the right thing.
We have continued receiving serious concerns of the system not being effective. They are deliberately sabotaging the Electoral process starting with the issuance of NRCs and now voter registration. We are aware that their perceived strongholds have flawless system. Why it that places perceived to be opposition stronghold are being disenfranchised by process flaws such as machinery breakdown, materials stock out etc?
This is most exaggerated voters Registration with unnecessary processes that add no value to the actual voting.The ECZ has embarked on the exercise of voter registration that’s over elaborated and subject to question. The extent of data collected raises security questions. For instance, with their most advanced machines it takes 30 to 40 minutes to register a single voter.Why?
Why is the system taking this long? The reason is simple, apart from collecting routine bio data. The machines also use a chunk of the minutes on biometric mining. On the surface, we see all this elaborate scheme as one befitting the 21st century. But the question that begs answers apart from justifying the purchase of these corruptly acquired super machines, What is the purpose of lifting these fingerprints which are not going to be used in the voter identification during voting? This first invasion of privacy and an illegal profiling of citizens.
In fact all these state of the art machines will be no where near the poling stations during voting. All this process of lifting fingerprints is a ploy to waste more time and disfranchise voters or would voters. One would have appreciated the process, if only fingerprints were a way of identifying voters during voting. But, at polling station there are just those hard copy registers with a list of names and microscopic portraits called by officials with an NRC as the only way of identification.
Why then waste all this time to lift fingerprints which will never be used anywhere? This process would have been faster if the twenty minutes of lifting useless fingerprints was removed.
During voting we will all need to come with NRCs without which we won’t vote. This is despite our fingerprints being in the ECZ database. So isn’t it prudent to remove capturing fingerprints and spend five minutes per person just taking their pictures and bio data.
Esau Chulu and Shindano, should not be adamant to the needs of the citizens. Why are they this arrogant? We all know they are working under Lungu’s instructions, but we want to tell them to remember that they have an obligation as public office bearers and that is to manage an impartial Electoral process that meets the aspirations of citizens.
We are very privy of all the schemes that are aimed at disadvantage citizens to vote. PF government and ECZ are also demanding voters cards for our deceased comrades, the question is where are they taking them after collecting?
Zambians, let’s not be docile, let us register in big numbers and fire these people at all cost.
Nothing is as stubborn as an idea whose time has come. No matter what you might try, change must come. People should be allowed to emancipate themselves from this wrecklessness of failed borrowers. The coming change is one of liberation, restoration and survival.
Sikaile Sikaile
Good Governance and Human Rights Activist