Mobile voter registration set.
20 Jan 2010
By MARTIN NKOLOMBATHE Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has announced that it will embark on a continuous mobile voter registration exercise in June this year.
ECZ chairperson Florence Mumba said the commission will only be able to conduct its first phase of the continuous mobile voter registration because of insufficient funds.
“The budget has provided K70 billion towards the implementation of continuous voter registration. With this level of funding it is surely not possible to decentralise the continuous voter registration as earlier planned. Therefore, the commission has undertaken to commence the registration through periodic mobile registration campaigns,” Mrs Mumba said.
She said this at a meeting with political parties and other election stakeholders organised by ECZ at Golf View Hotel in Lusaka yesterday.
Mrs Mumba said the continuous mobile voter registration exercise will last for three months from June to September.
She said funds permitting, the exercise may continue later in the year.
Mrs Mumba said during the periodic continuous mobile voter registration exercise, mobile teams equipped with digital mobile registration kits will be deployed in each of the 72 districts of the country.
She said each registration centre under the exercise will be open for 12 days.
Mrs Mumba said continuous mobile voter registration will include periodic closures to allow the commission to update the voter’s register.
She said ECZ will publicise the continuous voter registration exercise to ensure voter registration is undertaken in all constituencies so that many eligible voters are captured on the voters’ roll.
Mrs Mumba urged political leaders to reach out to their members and encourage those that did not register in 2005 to turn out in large numbers when the exercise officially opens.
She said open and genuine dialogue between the commission and stakeholders in the electoral process is vital to enhancing confidence in the process as well as the commission.
Mrs Mumba said it is for this reason that the commission will ensure stakeholders are given a platform to understand how its continuous voter registration exercise will be implemented this year as well as its re-organisation at district level for the same purpose.
Among the stakeholders at the meeting were political leaders, representatives from Government departments and traditional leaders.
Mrs Mumba revealed that the commission is reviewing its processes by comparing its practices and experiences with other electoral management boards in the southern African region.
She said this is with a view that the commission adopts best practices in its system.
Mrs Mumba cited the closing of election campaigns 24 or 48 hours before the poll day as a best practice.
She said this helps the electorate to digest and reflect on the messages from political parties and candidates during the campaign period.
Mrs Mumba also said the commission is considering streamlining political party programmes during campaigns to minimise conflicts over venues for rallies.
Mrs Mumba said political parties will be requested to provide the commission and the police with their campaign timetables throughout the campaign period.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
