By Chinoyi Chipulu
The Electoral Reform Technical Committee (ERTC) has recommended that the constitution should be amended to increase the number of constituencies in line with delimitation.
And minister of Justice Princess Kusune says divergent views are welcome on the ERTC report as Zambia was a democratic country.
Speaking when she handed over the report from the ERTC to the Ministry of Justice, ECZ chairperson Mwangala Zaloumis, said the committee had recommended an amendment to the electoral process act to provide a section on use of technology in the electoral process, which would provide for the use of biometric voter registration and identification systems.
Zaloumis said the report was key in deepening Zambia’s electoral process and democracy.
She disclosed that the committee made some recommendations comprising delimitation of larger constituencies necessitating the need to review article 68 of the Constitution.
She said submitters proposed that in the event a candidate died or resigned after nominations, the ECZ should not call for fresh nominations but instead proceed with the election.
She said they argued that calling for fresh nominations in such cases led to unnecessary delays and imposed significant costs on the State.
“Submitters highlighted the need to amend the law to protect against unnecessary resignations aimed at causing delays in elections, that the period for challenging nominations should be extended from seven to fourteen days, and that the nomination fees should be reduced to facilitate the participation of candidates from marginalised groups,” she said.
She said the committee recommended that the Electoral Process Act should be amended to introduce a pre-nomination period of 14 days.
“Further, it should be amended to place the responsibility on candidates to have their documents verified and authenticated their before submitting them to the ECZ,” she said.
She said submitters proposed that the Electoral Process Act should be amended to include provisions for electronic voter registration.
She said this amendment is aimed at modernising the voter registration process, enhancing efficiency, improving accessibility, and ensuring greater accuracy in the identification of the voters and in the management of the voters’ roll.
Zalomis said the use of technology in the electoral process would provide for the use of biometric voter registration and identification systems.
“It is important to note that this is not electronic voting,” she said “The handover of this report to the Ministry of Justice marks the beginning of a new phase, that of government review, policy consideration, and ultimately, legislative action where required.”
Zalomis said the Commission was confident that government would provide the necessary guidance and facilitate further processes for the consideration and implementation of the recommendations in line with established government procedures.
“As we hand over this report, we are reminded that electoral reform is not a destination but a journey. It is a continuous process that must adapt to emerging challenges and opportunities, public expectations, and evolving democratic norms,” she said. “Allow me to express our gratitude to the Democracy Strengthening in Zambia Project managed by the United Nations Development Programme for the support towards the work of the ERTC. This collaborative approach reflects the importance of partnerships in advancing democratic governance and institutional strengthening.”
And Kasune said the report would be key in the constitution review process which was currently underway.
Kasune urged journalists to broadcast the report in different local languages so that everyone could understand it
“Without you, the press, we cannot take the message and the continuous work that is happening to all the corners of Zambia, and we hope that others will broadcast in local languages so that no one is left behind,” she said. “As you have seen that the report has been handed over to minister of Justice so that we can begin to see what some of the recommendation are. This is as it should be, we are in a democratic dispensation and hence divergent views are very much encouraged and yet united under the banner of One Zambia One Nation.”
