THE Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has warned stakeholders not to harass its staff but to let them to do their jobs professionally.
ECZ Chief Elections Officer Patrick Nshindano said that stakeholders were pushing the Commission and that they would act if the trend went too far.
He said this during the daily election result update at Mulungushi International Conference Centre (MICC) in Lusaka yesterday.
Mr Nshindano said that it was unfortunate that ECZ officials were being harassed by political party officials instead of leaving them to do their job.
‘’I cannot over emphasise this point don’t allow us to act I’m calling on stakeholders to let us do our job professionally and not what is transpiring now,’’ he said.
Meanwhile an ECZ officer was harassed by UPND members who suspected that he was trying to manipulate election results at the Civic Centre’s Nakatindi Hall.
Mr Gillan Mulenga of Matero was roughed up by the members who almost lynched him but the officer was only whisked out by vigilant police officers who held him in a holding cell for his safety.
But Mr Nshindano said that the ECZ would not condone the behaviour by the stakeholders and would be forced to take action.
And the Anti Voter Apathy Project (AVAP) has said the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) is transparent, credible and one of the most respected electoral bodies in Africa which deserves respect from all Zambians.
AVAP Copperbelt Provincial Coordinator, Poster Jumbe, said the organisation has worked with the ECZ on various projects and it appreciated its transparency and credibility.
Mr Jumbe was reacting to attacks on some poll staff and the institutions itself by some political party leaders and cadres.
Mr Jumbe said it was unfortunate that instead of appreciating the successes of the ECZ, they decided to attack the institutions and its staff
“We think politicians from the opposition should not attack the ECZ but try to find ways of improving on its operation. Undoubtedly, the ECZ has scored many successes which we need to appreciate as opposed to launching attacks.
“We expect politicians to provide leadership especially this time. In fact, for your information, the ECZ is one of the respected electoral bodies in Africa because it has delivered elections in a transparent manner,” he said.
Mr Jumbe said politicians must wait patiently for the results of the elections as opposed to pushing the ECZ to announce the results just because their candidate was leading.
He stressed that whoever would decide to misbehave after the election results would face the wrath of the law. “An election is a democratic way of choosing leaders and so we should not fight but instead accept the outcome of the elections. Those who will choose to engage in lawlessness after elections, they will be dealt with firmly by the law enforcement agencies.
“We have better things to do than fighting over politics. Let us engage in agriculture instead of creating divisions over politics and elections,” Mr Jumbe said.
BY ADRIAN MWANZA and ROGERS KALERO
