The Southern African Center for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (SACCORD) has come to the defence of the Electoral Commission of Zambia over its competence amidst calls for the electoral body’s top management to step down.
SACCORD Executive Director Boniface Chembe has observed that Zambia has one of the most competent electoral commissions in Africa and that the commission should be instead commended by all political players as opposed to criticizing its work.
Chembe has pointed out that conflict management committees and District Voter Education Committees are some of the few innovations for which the Electoral Commission of Zambia should be commended for noting that these have helped sustain transparency and accountability in the country%u2019s electoral system.
Speaking in an interview with Qfm, Chembe has however stressed the need to address the commission’s weaknesses in areas such as delayed disbursement of ballot papers and delayed announcement of election results.
Chembe notes that addressing these and other weaknesses that may be observed will further improve the work of the country%u2019s electoral body.
The Electoral Commission of Zambia has come under intense criticism for its failure to invoke some of the provisions of the Electoral Act, with the ruling Patriotic Front calling for the replacement of the brass at the ECZ.
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