ECZ Calls On All Zambians To Register To Vote For 2021

The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has called on all citizens to register to vote in the upcoming voter registration drive. Those who have registered in the past will not be able to vote in the 2021 General Elections unless they re-register in 2020 as existing voters cards will no longer be accepted. 

The ECZ yesterday launched the online voter pre-registration exercise, which is scheduled to run until November 6th. The system allows citizens to submit their details online. However, they will still need to attend a designated registration centre so that their biometrics can be captured and they can be issued with a card. 

Voter registration will run from October 28 until November 30. 

Several activists and civil society members have raised concerns that the plan to reregister the whole country in one month is problematic. Last week civil rights activist Chama Fumba, aka Pilato, moved to challenge the plans in the courts alongside Nawa Sitali, Muleta Kapatiso, Maiko Zulu and Brian Bwembya.  

“The conduct by the Electoral Commission of Zambia is one that has the potential to derail our progress in our pursuit for development through democratic means. As citizens of this beautiful country we will not allow ba Mr. Nyeleti to disturb the flow of democracy for whatever reasons. We will defend our democracy and the institutions that makes it flourish,” Chama Fumba explained on social media. 

“To this effect, Mr. Nawa Sitali, Mr. Muleta Kapatiso, Maiko Zulu, Brian Bwembya and myself have taken the issue of voter registration to the court. ECZ is quickly becoming an enemy institution of our democracy and the people of this country,” the musician stated.  

Fellow activist and Alliance for Community Action (ACA) Executive Director Laura Miti also weighed in on the ECZ's drive to re-register everyone stating, “It really makes no logical, logistical or democratic sense this move and they can’t seem to explain themselves convincingly.”  

Pilato previously challenged the ECZ on its claims that it could not afford to sponsor observers to witness the printing of ballot papers for 2021 when they are at the same time attempting to re-register the entire country within 30 days.  

“The six million plus voters were registered over a period of years…What makes you think that you will register every qualified Zambian within 30 days? ECZ should guard itself against becoming the enemy institution of our people. They must decide which side of history they want to fall. We have a duty to defend the integrity and dignity of our institutions especially those that define our democracy. We will stand up to ECZ and we will resist every attempt to undermine the power of the vote,” he was quoted as stating.