MacDonald Chipenzi
The announcement by the Electoral Commission of Zambia – ECZ to award the contract to print ballot papers to a Dubai based company for the forthcoming presidential and parliamentary elections has created an atmosphere of suspicion due to lack of transparency. This is according to McDonald Chipenzi former executive Director of FODEP. During A call in interview with Zambia Blog Talk Radio, Mr. Chipenzi explained he was not speaking as a representative of UPND but as one who is interested in seeing that high levels of transparency and fairness are delivered during the electoral process. In the interview Chipenzi stated that stakeholders among them political parties, churches, and other contract bidders have objected to rewarding of the contract to this Dubai based company. Among reasons raised for this objection are that the company is one of the most expensive bidders, the company is also involved in controversy in other countries where it printed ballot papers, and that Dubai is also one of the most expensive destinations for which reason it will not be financially prudent to send monitors during the printing process.
He added that the ECZ must come out in the open to explain and provide adequate answers to the questions being raised by the stakeholders. These objections have poisoned the electoral process raising suspicion that the elections will not be free and fair. The process by which this tender has or will be awarded does not seem credible. He also maintained that the ECZ must explain the basis for their choice and allow stakeholders to ask relevant questions. The elections should be without suspicion or innuendos. ECZ must clear the air by providing enough and adequate information about this Dubai company to the public. Asked on what would be the last resort should ECZ go ahead with the tender, Chipenzi hoped that matters do not reach that point and that all suspicion can be cleared out and the problems of transparency and credibility amicably. He also outlined possible steps that may be followed to solve this problem as follow:
- Call for an inter-party meeting to which ECZ can provide answers and clarifications.
- Boycott Elections even though this step will be detrimental to the democratic process.
- Ask for an injunction for the courts to interfere.
- Participate in process. Here he mentioned that process protects content in that should the elections not favor the opposition the process will be doubted and the results not accepted.
Asked on why we should not have consistency in choosing printers, Chipenzi noted that the ECZ is mandated by Article 229 of the constitution to choose a printer. This process here explained can be made smooth by ECZ getting feedback from all stakeholders to ensure transparency and credibility. He also suggested that ECZ should be decentralized.
Meanwhile, there is overwhelming outrage from many Zambians and friends of Zambia abroad, who care about Zambia and have the best interest of Zambia at that, regarding the disposition and unprofessional manner in which ECZ is conducting business, void of bipartisanship, a recipe for disenchantment and civil strife.
Finally, Chipenzi hoped that this issue will be resolved amicably so that Zambia can have free and fair elections.
Prepared by:
UPND USA/Canada chapter – GGI
Media Team