Zambia Unveils Its 2016 Election Results Center

Entrance to the Election Results Center -Picture by Mwebantu

By Paul Shalala

With two days before Zambians vote in a general election and a referendum, the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has unveiled the Election Results Center which will be based at the Mulungushi International Conference Center in Lusaka.

The center, which is heavily guarded due to the usual tension that characterises polls, is accessible to all participating political parties, the media and election observers.

After the close of polling on Thursday evening, focus will shift from the polling stations to the Election Results Center where ECZ Chairperson Esau Chulu will be announcing periodic results as they trickle in from the 156 constituencies.

Justice Chulu is expected to be announcing results for the presidential and referendum.

This is because results for the Members of Parliament, Mayor, Council Chairmen and Councillors will be announced in the respective constituencies and districts.

Meanwhile, President Lungu has today met some of the international observers who are in the country to monitor the polls.

According to a statement issued by Presidential Press Aide Amos Chanda, President Lungu met former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan who is leading the African Union Observer Mission, former Mauritian President Cassam Uteem who is leading the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa and former Italian Minister of Integration Cecile Kyenge who is leading the European Union Observer Mission.

Mr Chanda has stated that the three, together with Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari’s Special Envoy on Political Dialogue Ibrahim Gambari met the head of state at State House this morning.

“His Excellency Goodluck Jonathan expressed full confidence that the elections which will be held this Thursday on 11^th August, 2016 will be free and fair and that Zambia will maintain its highly reputable brand as a viable democracy. Mr. Jonathan urged all political parties taking part in the elections to accept the outcome,” said Mr Chanda.

An aerial view of the Election Results Center

“The Head of State also held an open and frank conversation with EU observers led by Hon. Kyenge. The President assured EU observers that the opposition were free to campaign anywhere they wanted, and that access to the media was a matter for independent media boards and editorial teams.”

Meanwhile, the Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) has urged Zambians to turn out enmass and vote for their preferred candidates on Thursday.  

In its pre-election statement, FODEP has urged all stakeholders to accept the results of the election and embrace peace after the results are announced.

The local organisation has deployed 5,090 monitors in 98 of the 156 constituencies to monitor the Thursday polls.

Former Mauritius President To Lead EISA Monitors To Zambia

Former Mauritius President Cassam Uteem

By Paul Shalala in Johannesburg, South Africa

Former Mauritius President Cassam Uteem is again leading a team of election observers from the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA) to Zambia for next week's general elections and referendum.

Mr Uteem, who led the island nation of Mauritius from 1992 to 2002, also led the EISA election observers to Zambia's January 2015 elections which ushered into office President Edgar Lungu following the death of his predecessor Michael Sata in October 2014.

In a statement, EISA Deputy Chief of Mission Denis Kadima says the team is in Zambia to conduct an independent assessment of the electoral process and contribute to its peaceful and transparent conduct through their findings and recommendations.

“The Mission will base its assessment on the standards and obligations stipulated in the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance; the Principles for Election Management, Monitoring and Observation; and the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation, ” read part of the statement.

The 13 man team will be deployed in Lusaka, Ndola, Livingstone and Mongu.

The team includes 10 short term observers from election management bodies and civil society organisations from across the continent.

EISA is not new to Zambia.

It has monitored elections since 2000.

According to the statement, in 2000 EISA supported the Electoral Commission of Zambia to establish its conflict management panels and develop civic and voter education materials.

It also deployed observer missions to the 2006, 2008, 2011 and 2015 elections.

EISA joins other international organisations like the African Union, SADC, the Commonwealth and the European Union who have already deployed their observers on the ground.

On Thursday next week, Zambia goes to the polls to elect a President, 156 Members of Parliament, Mayors, Council Chairmen and Councillors.

Voters will also be voting in a referendum to either adopt or reject amendments to the Bill of Rights.

According to the revised voters register, Zambia has six million voters.

Nine Presidential candidates are in the race including the incumbent Edgar Lungu.

Zambia's Former President Rupiah Banda To Monitor Nigerian Polls

Rupiah Banda during Kenya's 2013 elections

By Paul Shalala in Johannesburg, South Africa

Former Zambian President Rupiah Banda is next week expected to co-lead an election observation mission for the the United States-based National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI. 

On 14 February, 68.8 million voters in Africa's largest democracy will be choosing their leaders in the general election. 

The presidential election is pitting incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan and former military ruler General Muhamadu Buhari.

"In his invitation letter, NDI senior associate and regional director for Central and West Africa Dr Christopher Fomunyoh said President Banda’s experience will greatly benefit the NDI delegation as Africa’s most populous nation faces the most competitive election since the transition from military to civilian rule in 1999, " read part of the emailed statement to the media.

Mr Banda will co-lead the NDI delegation with former US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson, former Niger Prime Minister Mahamadu Danda, former Mauritius Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam and former governor of Colorado Bill Ritter.

The fourth Zambian President has previously led election observation missions to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya and Sierra Leone under the Carter Center and to Lesotho under the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa.

Ex-Mauritius President Uteem Leads EISA Poll Observers To Zambia

By Paul Shalala

Former Mauritius President Cassam Uteem

The Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA) has deployed a 14 member  election observation mission to monitor Zambia's presidential election scheduled for 20 January 2015.

Former Mauritius President Cassam Uteem will lead the mission which is the forth the pan-African organisation has deployed in Zambia since 2006.

"EISA notes that the by-elections take place in line with the provisions of article 38 of the Zambian Constitution, which grants Zambians the rights to choose another president after the sudden death of President Michael Sata on 28 October 2014. The Institute views the by-election as another crucial step in the democratic consolidation process in Zambia," reads a statement from EISA.

The mission is composed of 14 short term observers drawn from civil society organisations and electoral commissions across the African continent.

The EISA observers will be deployed to five of Zambia’s ten provinces to consult with electoral stakeholders and observe the final phases of the pre-election period.

According to a statement from EISA, the observers will be equipped with computer tablets for the collection and transmission of their findings in real time.

The Mission’s activities will be guided by principles and standards set out in the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance; the African Union Declaration on the Principles Governing Democratic Elections in Africa; the Declaration of Principles on International Election Observation and the Principles for Election Management, Monitoring and Observation (PEMMO) as well as the Zambian legal framework governing the elections.

EISA becomes the third international organisation to deploy election monitors in Zambia after SADC and COMESA deployed their respective election teams earlier this week.