You are naive, Caller tells ECZ’s Akufuna

A Radio caller today told Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) Public Relations Manager Cris Akufuna that he was being naive.

This was during a famous talk show programme on Radio Phoenix called Let the People Talk that hosted Akufuna.

Contributing to the programme, a caller who identified himself as Norman came out strong telling the ECZ PR Boss that he was being naive.

This was after Akufuna said the commission could not act on media reports that foreigners were being registered as voters in Eastern province.

Akufuna said the ECZ doesn’t act on media reports adding that the report had no facts.

But Norman charged that there was no way ECZ could ignore such a serious allegations that could undermine the electoral process.

He said ECZ should have come out to investigate the matter and table it with relevant wings of government such as Department of Registration.

At this moment the host of the programme Haive Hagunta asked Norman to retract his use of the word naive. But Norman stood his ground and asked Hagunta if he understands the meaning of the word. Then Hagunta said he did but feared that other people may not understand. Norman said he was using English and that he meant what he said.

In response, Akufuna said ECZ had no powers to summon the department of registration. He explained that the citizens will have an opportunity to bring out the names in the registers that they accuse of being foreigners during verification period.

Akufuna said it was not the role of ECZ at this moment to question the nationality of people with NRCs coming to register as voters.