HH Warns On Attempts To Disenfranchise Voters

UPND President Hakainde Hichilema (HH) has warned followers on social media of attempts to disenfranchise voters. 

“By collecting your NRCs (National Registration Cards), they are trying to defranchise you and prevent you from voting. It is illegal. You have a right to vote them out. Record them, share and report to the Police,” the opposition leader states.

In a Facebook post on Friday HH states, “The corrupt PF are dishing out money in exchange for your NRCs. Record them, take photos and share.” 

Hichilema’s warning comes as the government last week confirmed it has issued 331,472 citizens with NRCs in the mobile issuance exercise currently under way.

The first phase covers five provinces, with Copperbelt, Luapula and Northern Provinces recording the highest numbers of new registrations at 79,111, 74,989, and 78,370 respectively. Figures were considerably lower in Eastern and Northwestern provinces, at 56,768 and 42,234 respectively.

Phase two of the exercise is scheduled to commence on September 1st and will cover Southern, Western, Central, Muchinga and Lusaka Provinces.

Earlier this month moves by the government to prevent monitoring of the process sparked outcry from civil society. After the exercise had commenced the Ministry of Home Affairs ordered organisations which have taken to monitoring to disband and allow officials tasked with monitoring voter registration to do their job.

Operation Young Vote (OYV) was among those to criticise the move stating it was “not only appalled and dismayed but also very concerned and displeased” by the move.

Writing on the suspension Executive Director of OYV Guess Nyirenda stated, “As OYV we find the pronouncement and threats misplaced in that the exercise is not an ordinary undertaking but an extraordinary one whose many purpose is related to the forth coming voter registration exercise by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) and the 2021 National Elections. This sudden apprehension by Government on citizens monitoring on how a service is being provided to members of the general public leaves a lot to be desired. This is very unusual especially that this is not the first time Zambia is conducting the Mobile Issuance of NRCs in relation to the electoral process.” 

“The skepticism perception Government is trying to employ to the point of seemingly being scared of its own shadow must not be allowed anywhere near the process as it is a recipe for mistrust and loss of confidence by the citizens in such undertakings of paramount significance in the nation,” he continued.