Opposition Alliance for a Better Zambia has exposed a scheme by the Patriotic Front government to hound out Electoral Commission of Zambia chairperson Ireen Mambilima for being strictly adhering to the Electoral Code of Conduct.
The Mambilima led ECZ has of late drawn the wrath of the ruling party for censuring Patriotic Front aligned Chief Mpezeni who campaigned for the PF during the recent by-elections in Chipata.
The ECZ had also found the national broadcaster, ZNBC, in breach of the Electoral Code of Conduct in its coverage of elections.
ABZ leader Fr Bwalya alleged that PF Secretary General Wynter Kabimba was the “choirmaster” of the current anti ECZ sentiments.
“The on-going chorus of attack on the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) by Patriotic Front (PF) with Justice Minister Wynter Kabimba as the choir master is part of a scheme to replace ECZ chairperson Justice Ireen Mambilima and other critical staff with PF cadres,” Fr Bwalya said.
“PF wants to do this in line with their party constitution article 3 which says; “The Party shall ensure that all public institutions, State-owned enterprises and popular mass and similar organizations are led by persons who are members of the Party and who are uncompromisingly committed to achievements of the Party.”
He said the ruling party had realized that Mambilima would not champion their causes and had not helped them win by-elections that saw the opposition take the lion’s share recently.
“PF has realized that Justice Mambilima and her staff can’t be used to promote the interests of their party. Therefore, the public should expect many PF officials from various parts of the country to join the chorus the choirmaster Kabimba has started,” he said.
“PF plans to do the same with Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) which has of late exhibited elements of fair and objective coverage of dissenting views. With the police, they have no problem because they are getting full support in advancing their interests.”
The PF recently lost three of the four by-elections despite President Michael Sata having campaigned heavily with the aid of some compromised traditional leaders.
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