ALTHOUGH the Electoral Commission of Zambia was carrying out its work professionally under a challenging pandemic setting, stakeholders’ trust in the institution remains low, European Union Chief Observer Maria Arena has said.
Speaking in a preliminary statement , Ms Arena said that the 2021 general elections took place against a background of deepening political polarization.
She explained that neither the current appointment system nor the recruitment of the electoral officers at the local level by the administration have reinforced public confidence in the institution.
Ms. Arena observed that the electoral process was however technically well managed adding that the election day was mostly calm and orderly despite long queues of voters throughout the day.
The European Union Election chief Observer encouraged ECZ to work with full transparency in addressing stakeholders complaints.
Concerning campaigns, Ms Arena noted that the campaigns took place in a highly competitive environment whereas the legal framework provided a reasonable basis for the conduct of democratic elections despite selective application of laws and regulations.
“Election day was largely calm and generally well administered despite long queues, which showed the devotion of the Zambian people to exercise their right to vote.
“It is important to note that at this moment, critical stages of the process remain. In its preliminary assessment, the EU EOM is only commenting on observations undertaken up until now,” she said.
BY NOEL IYOMBWA
Author
