UPND Calls For Voter Registration Extension

The United Party for National Development (UPND) has urged the Electoral Commission of Zambia to consider extending the voter registration exercise to 90 days, thereby ending on 7th February 2021. 

Speaking in an interview, UPND Lusaka Province Youth Chair Anderson Banda accused ECZ electoral officer Patrick Nshindano of failing to listen to the concerns raised by numerous stakeholders and members of the general public. 

He accused the ECZ of being arrogant by insisting that it would not extend the registration period.

“It is is in the interest of the Zambian people that the ECZ considers increasing the number of days for the exercise. As we all have seen, the process has been very slow; the Commission is understaffed and most of the machines have broken down. Therefore we demand that the duration for the exercise be extended. It’s a demand!” said Mr Banda 

It comes after the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR) voiced concerns yesterday that the ECZ was unlikely to reach its target of registering  9 million Zambians by the 12 December deadline based on current projections. 

In the first two weeks of the exercise the ECZ has managed to register a little over 1 million voters, meaning that only 3 million Zambians will be registered once the deadline passes.