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Zambians in diaspora to vote in 2021?

By SIMON MUNTEMBA

GOVERNEMENT says it will consider engaging the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) on the possibilities of creating a platform for which Zambians living in the diaspora would participate in the 2021 tripartite elections.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary, Chalwe Lombe said the creation of a platform on which Zambians in the diaspora would cast their votes was important. This is contained in a statement released by Ms Naomi Nyawali, first secretary press and public relations at the Zambia High Commission in South Africa. Mr Lombe, who is in charge of International Relations and Cooperation noted that the creation of a platform on which Zambians in the diaspora would cast their votes was important. He said this during the African Missions virtual meeting on the diaspora policy when he answered a question from Zambia’s High Commissioner to South Africa Major-General Jackson Miti who asked what considerations the government was making for people in the diaspora to take part in voter verification exercise and voting in missions abroad to capture would-be voters who may not be able to travel to Zambia due to travel restrictions in their domicile countries.
Mr Lombe observed that lack of voting among Zambians abroad was a problem as they did not have access to exercise their franchise. He encouraged missions abroad to make submissions to the ministry to enable them engage relevant institutions with a view of putting up measures in place that would allow people in the diaspora to register and cast their votes. Meanwhile, Mr Lombe said Zambian missions abroad played a critical role in the successful implementation of the Diaspora policy. He implored mission staff to understand and appreciate the diaspora policy to effectively coordinate diaspora communities in various countries.

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