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| The Nine Presidential candidates -Picture by Mwebantu |
By Paul Shalala
Campaigns have come to an end in Zambia
and voters are tomorrow expected to vote for their President, Members of
Parliament, Mayors, Council Chairmen and Councillors.
Also on the ballot is the referendum which seeks to approve or disapprove the amendment to the Bill of Rights.
Tomorrow, a total of 6, 698, 372 voters
are expected to vote at thousands of polling stations across the country's 10
provinces.
Voting commences at polling stations starting in the morning at 06:00hrs and close at 18:00hrs in the evening after which counting commences.
About a dozen local and
foreign election missions and organisations have deployed thousands of their
monitors across the country.
Since the campaign period opened on May
16 this year, various political parties and candidates have traversed the
country to canvass for votes.
Eight candidates are challenging
President Edgar Lungu who is seeking a full five year term of his own after
serving 19 months of the remainder of his predecessor Michael Sata who died in
October 2014.
According to the Electoral Commission
of Zambia, 651 candidates are battling for the 156 seats in Parliament, 331
candidates are contesting as Mayors and Council Chairpersons while those who
are aspiring as Councillors countrywide are 4566.
On the eve of the elections, various
stakeholders have issued statements to call for peace during the elections.
Others have reflected on the past three
months that have seen a hive of activities across the country.
The Southern African Center for the
Constructive Resolution of Disputes (SACCORD), a governance civil society
organization, has called for a peaceful poll.
“The high levels of intolerance and
political violence demonstrated during the campaign period which ends today
indicates a high level of disregard for the citizenry and the ideals of
democracy. Zambians now have an opportunity to peacefully work in solidarity
and show perpetrators of political violence and intolerance that they will not
to be intimidated to exercise their right to vote. We are therefore urging the
citizens of this country to go and peacefully cast their votes in large numbers
tomorrow 11th August, 2016,” said SACCORD Executive Director
Boniface Cheembe in his election eve statement.
The Foundation for Democratic Process
(FODEP), another governance organization, has called on the ECZ to handle the
elections in a transparent manner.
“We further wish to appeal to the ECZ
to ensure timeliness and utmost transparency in the opening of polling stations
and handling of voting materials to avoid acts of violence. This is an
extremely important election being watched by the international community and
it is imperative that electoral officials are professional in their work to
inspire public confidence in the electoral process and ensure acceptance of the
results,” says FODEP Executive Director Chimfwembe Mwenge in a statement issued
today.
For the Zambia Conference of Catholic
Bishops (ZCCB), their concern is the use of youths as tools of violence during
elections.
In their pre-election statement
released today, the Bishops have challenged youths to be architects of a better
Zambia.
“..........we hereby challenge the
youths to be architects of a better Zambia by being agents of peace and
reconciliation. We therefore appeal to you to “refuse to be used as mere tools
of violence by unscrupulous politicians. In conclusion we again extend our
earnest appeal to all Zambians to realise that voting is one of their
fundamental rights and duties. It is also a Christian duty. We thus pray that
all citizens enter the August 11 general elections with a spirit of honesty,
avoiding bribes and cheating. We also pray that all voters, political party
leaders and their cadres may have at heart, the needed passion and commitment
to build for peace and avoid all forms of violence,” reads parts of the
statement issued by ZCCB President Archbishop Telesphore Mpundu.
ECZ Chairperson Esau Chulu has today
announced that the commission is expected to announce the final results within
48 hours of the close of polling tomorrow.
