Group Pressures ECZ To Ban International Election Observers
A group calling itself the Democracy and Motherland Defenders Coalition (DMDC) is pressuring the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to completely ban international observers from monitoring this year’s general election, citing the increasing number of Covid-19 cases in Zambia.
DMDC spokesperson Andrew Ntewewe claimed during a press conference on Thursday that the ECZ has a responsibility to protect Zambians from further outbreaks of the disease brought in by foreign observers.
“We wish to reiterate our earlier call that the ECZ must collaborate with the ministry of foreign affairs to limit the number of international observers. Given the evolution of the pandemic we now wish to advise that the commission must completely ban international observers,” he said.
The Coalition previously urged the ECZ to limit the number of international observers back in January, again claiming that it would lead to further outbreaks of Covid-19. The group instead offered to provide its own election observers, saying it would train and deploy 22,000 monitors to man every polling station in the country.
The scale of the Covid-19 pandemic is escalating in Zambia, with the country recording 3,026 new cases on Wednesday - the highest daily figure since the start of the outbreak in March 2020.
In response, the government has imposed a variety of new restrictions, including the forced closure of schools for 21 days and limits on the numbers of congregants allowed at weddings and funerals.
Restaurants have also been instructed to operate on a takeaway only basis and Churches are only allowed to conduct two one-hour services a week.
The ECZ has so far not indicated that it will comply with calls to ban electoral observers, which would no doubt be disastrous for the integrity and transparency of August’s polls. International observers are vital for guaranteeing that instances of electoral fraud and voting irregularities are reported and dealt with. They also help to reduce the amount of political violence and ensure a more smooth transition of power.
The DMDC and its leader Andrew Netewewe have close ties to the ruling Patriotic Front and Mr Ntewewe has been vocal about his support for President Lungu in the past. This closeness could suggest the organisation is attempting to aide the PF’s election campaign, by ensuring that any electoral fraud in its favour goes unnoticed.
Last month a similar phenomenon was observed when a non-profit Christian political group, the Christian Coalition of Zambia, said it was planning to deploy its own election monitors to observe August’s polls. Its leader, Charles Mwape, had openly endorsed President Lungu in a video just a month earlier.