Former ECZ Director raises red flag on Prisoners voting

Dan Kalale

Dan Kalale

Former ECZ director Dan Kalale raises red flag on the indication by Home Affairs Minister that prisoners will be allowed to vote.

This is what he wrote on his facebook page.

Is it true some Minister has announced that prisoners will vote in the August 11 elections? Having not seen the amended constitution in its totality, could it be that Electoral Commission of Zambia have also not seen it?

In any case, could it be desperation on the part of the PF government? Under normal circumstances, ECZ was the entity that was supposed to make that announcement added to it the public awareness of the change coupled with more information on the modalities of the new dimension in terms of the voting procedures. Will the prisoners be taken to their polling stations or ECZ will create new polling stations in prison precincts by also spelling out safeguard measures put in place to counter possible manipulation?

In my view this is not an easy undertaking that should come as by the way sort of a thing or as on the spur of the moment after thought.
In case this is in the amended constitution, it still doesn’t sit well because ECZ doesn’t seem to have taken that consideration in their preparations of August 11 event. Can ECZ avail to the stakeholders the promulgated subsequent legislation to back up the new provision in the Amended Constitution before they effect the ‘Ministerial directive’?

By the way its not everything that has been touched in the Amended Constitution that should haphazardly take effect without due diligence consideration, ie has the dual citizenship clause been effected? If not then why should a Minister announce that Prisoners will vote without ECZ showing preparedness of the change in the statute?

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