UPND to engange ECZ over results transmission

Opposition UPND now says it will engage the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) over its concerns regarding the transmission of results from constituencies to the national totalling centre.

UPND Elections Chairperson Ackson Sejani said the remaining days before and during the polls will be very crucial and his party would want to bring out its concerns to ECZ.

“Given the sensitivities of the current period rumours have naturally sparked concern. As such we look forward to engaging the ECZ on our concerns regarding the transmission of results from constituencies to the national totalling centre,” Sejani said in a press statement to Zambian Eye.

Sejani who once served as Local Government Minister under Frederick Chiluba’s MMD government has however commended ECZ for the job they are doing to ensure a free and fair election on January 20.

“As a party we want to thank the ECZ for the commendable job they are doing to ensure free and fair elections on 20 January 2015,” Sejani said. “We wish to state clearly that we will continue to work with the ECZ to aid them in this effort and are committed to raising concerns through the appropriate channels.”

Sejani has also thanked the civil society and other stakeholder for what he called being vigilant against potential violations of the electoral code.

UPND Vice president Canisus Banda on Wednesday, December 31, 2014 announced that his party had received information on how the PF government were planning to rig the elections. He said the figures would be changed during transmission and that ballot papers in the opposition staronghold would have the ink fade after voting to render it invalid but ECZ dismissed the claim.