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| 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 11th 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.
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| 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.
