Register to vote campaign in high gear

Operation Young Vote (OYV) has stepped up its campaign urging Zambians to register as Voters as the exercise comes to an end on November 11, 2015.

OYV has launched a campaign dubbed  “Lembetsani Ma Voti – Be on Point”. The NGO says it will use every platform available to ensure that every Zambian especially those eligible to vote to register as voters.

Below is a statement issued by it’s executive director to Zambian Eye:

The coming to an end of the Mobile Voter Registration on Wednesday the 11th November, 2015 should prompt all stakeholders in the Electoral Process and the citizens as a whole to engage in high gear.

Information tailored to encourage and motivate citizens to find meaning in leaving their day to day schedules that bring them and their families something to eat to go and register as voters. This will help many of the eligible voters that have not yet visited the Mobile Registration Centres within constituencies to do so and register as voter.

OYV will use every platform available to ensure that every Zambian especially those eligible to vote to register as voters.

Among our innovative strategies of engaging members of the public and citizens is that of getting on the buses both intercity and intra-city (within the city – local bus routes). This we call “Lembetsani Ma Voti – Be on Point” on the Bus awareness, sensitization and education.

We are aware that a lot Zambians are most times traveling either between cities or within a city and most of them are mainly eligible voters hence the need to find a strategy to target them. This strategy is great and works well with the provision by the Electoral Commission of Zambia that says that a person can register from anywhere (any Registration Centre within the country) as long as they indicate where they would vote from.

It is our appeal that all stakeholders in the Electoral Process and the citizens we encounter in our different strategies in our bid to have as many eligible Zambians as possible to register as voters to become ambassadors of Lembetsani Ma Voti – Be on Point Campaign. To the Bus Drivers and Conductors we appeal to you to take this message with gladness and enthusiasm as speak about it always as you meet many people as you carry them on your buses from one point to the next.

The support of the Bus Drivers and Conductors and the traveling public in this endeavor cannot be overemphasized. We would like to thank you for coming and supporting this programme. It is our programme as a nation. Many thanks also for couloring your buses with the Lembetsani Ma Voti – Be on Point Campaign Bumper Stickers. To the Media thank you for your support. Without you information would be difficult to move.

The moment to get on the Buses and begin our Lembetsani Ma Voti – Be on Point is now. Shall each member of OYV get to their designated route, jump on the bus and do what we know best.

Thank you, safe trips and God bless us all

Guess Nyirenda (Mr.)
Executive Director