WE will not sit idle and watch criminals steal people’s votes even before they are cast, Maiko Zulu has warned.
Reacting to Electoral Commission of Zambia’s shift of the date of commencement of mobile voter registration from the initial October 19, 2020 to October 28, 2020, Zulu said ECZ was behaving like a band of renegades, who have been intoxicated by the cool temperature in their air conditioned offices and their thinking is in ICU like that of the people they are trying to give an electoral advantage.
“We are taking on the criminal rats at ECZ…this time the bush is coming to town. As concerned citizens, we will not sit idle and watch criminals steal people’s votes even before they are cast,” Zulu said.
Zulu, a governance expert and human rights activist, said scrapping the existing voter’s register should not be taken lightly by Zambians because of the ultimate results of such a criminal pronouncement.
He challenged the Zambia Police to be ready with their newly acquired ‘war machines’.
“Well, Zambia Police should be ready with their war machines which we know have been re-stocked because we are coming to eat the rats at ECZ and we are coming through the front door. The people we have entrusted with authority have no capacity to protect public institutions and therefore it is our duty as citizens to do just that,” said Zulu.
ECZ also announced the extension of the completion of the same exercise from November 20, to November 30, 2020.
Speaking at a media briefing in Lusaka on Thursday, ECZ Chief Electoral Officer Patrick Nshindano said the changes were meant to accommodate all eligible voters who would have gotten their national registration cards during the ongoing periodic national registration exercise which comes to an end on October 30.
Nshindano said he was hopeful that the issuance of NRCs would not be extended further and that in an event that it happens, the ECZ would not adjust the time to start the voter registration exercise.
Meanwhile, activist Chama Fumba has lamented that the ECZ has continued to exhibit jungle arrogance in their approach to the 2021 elections.
Fumba, popularly known as Pilato, said Zambians were not docile to allow this to occur ahead of an important election.
“We did not ask for moving of the dates, we asked that you don’t throw away the old voters’ register and instead just add new voters to the existing register considering the limited time and resources allocated for the election. In case you are still trapped into thinking that Zambians are docile, you are wrong. Our patience with mediocrity should never be mistaken for docility or anything in that league. We will not let you facilitate a sham of an election in this country,” Chama said.
He threatened massive protests if the ECZ remained adamant against the people’s wishes.
Fumba insisted that ECZ should not take citizens for granted.
He maintained that it was not right to throw away a register of voters when it was already announced how under-funded the ECZ is.
“We will not protest against you in the bush and we will not protest against you in the streets, we will protest against you in your face and you will regret. You cannot take the good people of this country for granted. We are insisting that you can’t throw away a register of voters when you have already announced how under-funded you are. We insist you do the right thing,” he said.
Fumba warned the ECZ boss not to allow criminals damage his reputation otherwise he would be treated like an enemy of the masses.
“Mr Nshindano mudala (big man), you are still young and these criminals are damaging a reputation that you may never repair in this life time. We will treat you as an enemy of the people if you allow yourself to be used as their mop. Do the right thing NOW and stand with the people,” said Fumba.