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THE Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has advised the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) to officially write to the commission if it has any grievance over the contract awarded to Universal Print Group (UPG) to print the ballot papers for the September 20 polls.
ECZ Public Relations Manager, Cris Akufuna said in an interview from Durban yesterday that LAZ was aware of the complaint procedure if it had any grievances to make against the contract.
Mr Akufuna says the ECZ cannot start discussing issues they are asking us in the Press adding that if it has any grievances let them write to the commission.
Mr Akufuna was reacting to LAZ president Musa Mwenye’s question on whether ECZ had obtained security clearance for the engagement of UPG in the printing of ballot papers.
At a media briefing in Lusaka yesterday, Mr Mwenye also asked the director general of the Anti-Corruption Commission to tell the nation whether UPG was mentioned in a warn-and-caution statement recorded against a former ECZ employee, Mpundu Mfula and whether the company had been a subject of investigations since the 2006 general elections.
Mr Mwenye said that LAZ notes that ECZ has taken some steps towards inclusiveness in the electoral process but we urge the electoral body to attach utmost importance to clarify the issue surrounding the engagement of UPG because the issue has the capacity to adversely affect the strides made by the ECZ in facilitating a free, fair and inclusive electoral process.
Both ACC board chairperson Timothy Kabalata and the director general Godfrey Kayukwa have recently stated that the commission was not investigating ECZ.
Mr Mwenye said LAZ wanted to put it on record that if UPG was implicated or accused in any unresolved investigations which were currently before the ACC , the company’s suitability to conduct the important task of printing the ballot papers for this year’s elections would be in serious doubt.
Meanwhile, LAZ has condemned the violence being perpetuated by some political parties as the country heads towards elections. Mr Mwenye said the association was concerned with the increased levels of violence between the political parties.
He urged all political party leaders in the country to denounce violence and commit themselves to peaceful campaigns. He urged the Zambia Police Service to maintain law and order in a fair manner.
And Mr Mwenye said both public and private media should abide by the electoral code of conduct by ensuring that all political parties were given fair coverage during the election period.
He said the public media should in this regard set the tone and lead by example by providing fair coverage to all political parties.
Mr Mwenya explained that LAZ regrested deeply that despite several protestations, the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) has continued to flout the ZNBC Act.
Mr Mwenye said LAZ would commence public interest litigation against ZNBC to hopefully pronounce the duties of the corporation and whether or not the ZNBC director general and his management had been breaching the Act.
ECZ Public Relations Manager, Cris Akufuna said in an interview from Durban yesterday that LAZ was aware of the complaint procedure if it had any grievances to make against the contract.
Mr Akufuna says the ECZ cannot start discussing issues they are asking us in the Press adding that if it has any grievances let them write to the commission.
Mr Akufuna was reacting to LAZ president Musa Mwenye’s question on whether ECZ had obtained security clearance for the engagement of UPG in the printing of ballot papers.
At a media briefing in Lusaka yesterday, Mr Mwenye also asked the director general of the Anti-Corruption Commission to tell the nation whether UPG was mentioned in a warn-and-caution statement recorded against a former ECZ employee, Mpundu Mfula and whether the company had been a subject of investigations since the 2006 general elections.
Mr Mwenye said that LAZ notes that ECZ has taken some steps towards inclusiveness in the electoral process but we urge the electoral body to attach utmost importance to clarify the issue surrounding the engagement of UPG because the issue has the capacity to adversely affect the strides made by the ECZ in facilitating a free, fair and inclusive electoral process.
Both ACC board chairperson Timothy Kabalata and the director general Godfrey Kayukwa have recently stated that the commission was not investigating ECZ.
Mr Mwenye said LAZ wanted to put it on record that if UPG was implicated or accused in any unresolved investigations which were currently before the ACC , the company’s suitability to conduct the important task of printing the ballot papers for this year’s elections would be in serious doubt.
Meanwhile, LAZ has condemned the violence being perpetuated by some political parties as the country heads towards elections. Mr Mwenye said the association was concerned with the increased levels of violence between the political parties.
He urged all political party leaders in the country to denounce violence and commit themselves to peaceful campaigns. He urged the Zambia Police Service to maintain law and order in a fair manner.
And Mr Mwenye said both public and private media should abide by the electoral code of conduct by ensuring that all political parties were given fair coverage during the election period.
He said the public media should in this regard set the tone and lead by example by providing fair coverage to all political parties.
Mr Mwenya explained that LAZ regrested deeply that despite several protestations, the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) has continued to flout the ZNBC Act.
Mr Mwenye said LAZ would commence public interest litigation against ZNBC to hopefully pronounce the duties of the corporation and whether or not the ZNBC director general and his management had been breaching the Act.
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