By Mubanga Mubanga

Socialist Party leader Dr Fred M’membe says he doesn’t want Zambia to burn owing to the manipulated census and electoral data.
Speaking yesterday during a joint press briefing by major opposition political parties in Lusaka, Dr M’membe said manipulated data had potential to plunge Zambia in flames during elections next year if nothing was done.
“The answers that we are seeking from the government has the potential to erode public trust and seriously affect the integrity of next year’s election … We therefore, implore this government to adequately respond to the question we have paused in sobriety,” Dr M’membe said. “Batila ukwali isoke takwafwile muntu (to be forewarned is to be forearmed). We do not want to see Zambia burning come next year, owing to potential manipulated census and electoral data. One way of preventing that … is for the government to show transparency in the conduct, and engagement of the citizens of this country.”
And New Heritage party leader Chishala Kateka asked in what capacity Civil Service Commission (CSC) chairperson Dr Choolwe Beyani attended the census meeting at Mulungushi International Conference Center, where he discredited the 2022 Census report.
“Number one: can the government confirm the capacity in which Dr Beyani attended the launch of the Census Report at Mulungushi International Conference Center. Is it in his capacity as the chairperson of the Civil Service Commission or as director of research of the UPND research committee?” Kateka asked. “Number two: can the government confirm that the voters row that Dr Beyani was referring to is the one that was used for the 2021 elections? Number three, Can the government confirm that Zamstats directors; Namely Mulenga Musepa, Chola Nakazwe and Goodson were dismissed from the agency last year?”
United Kwacha Alliance (UKA) Chairperson Sakwiba Sikota said the opposition political parties were exploring many options regarding the census report among them court action and civil disobedience.
The press briefing was also attended by Zambia We Want (ZWW), PF led by vice-president Given Lubinda, civil rights activist Brebner Changala, among others.
Civil rights activist Brebner Changala questioned the absence of widely used language in the report.
“Previous census reports including the most recent one in 2010 contain data on widely used languages of communication and ethnicity, presented by sex, rural/urban, province and by census year,” Changala said.
“Of course, the previous reports have made it clear that the predominant language of communication looks at the language use and that the number of language users does not necessarily reflect the number of people that belong to an ethnic grouping. None of this vital information is to be found in the summary report.”
And Zambia We Want (ZWW) Interim president Ernest Mwansa said it was the first time in the history of Zambia that the government leaders were discrediting a census report conducted by the same administration.
“The issue at hand is immense, disruptive, and has the potential to fatally undermine the integrity of the 2022 census. It is worth noting that the 2022 report is the sixth census to be conducted since the achievement of independence in 1964 following the 1969, 1980, 1990, 2000, and 2010 census reports,” said Mwansa.
Civil rights activist Brebner Changala questioned the absence of widely used language in the report.
“Previous census reports including the most recent one in 2010 contain data on widely used languages of communication and ethnicity, presented by sex, rural/urban, province and by census year,” Changala said.
“Of course, the previous reports have made it clear that the predominant language of communication looks at the language use and that the number of language users does not necessarily reflect the number of people that belong to an ethnic grouping. None of this vital information is to be found in the summary report.”
And Zambia We Want (ZWW) Interim president Ernest Mwansa said it was the first time in the history of Zambia that the government leaders were discrediting a census report conducted by the same administration.
“The issue at hand is immense, disruptive, and has the potential to fatally undermine the integrity of the 2022 census. It is worth noting that the 2022 report is the sixth census to be conducted since the achievement of independence in 1964 following the 1969, 1980, 1990, 2000, and 2010 census reports,” said Mwansa.