We are delighted that the will of the electorate was eventually permitted to prevail and Zambia has continued in her democratic tradition of a peaceful handover of power from the ruling party to the opposition. It is good that political leaders were able to put the national interest before party advantage. "Now the Lord is Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is present, there is freedom." (2 Cor 3:17) - an appropriate verse for Zambia at this time we think. This blog is compiled from notes made over election day and the count afterwards.
Election Day dawned on Tuesday 20 September and there were three long and orderly queues at Mwandi. Pastor Percy and the Reverend Mwanda were there as Church Monitors for the Mwandi Constituency. The
Returning Officer for our Constituency is another old friend, the former and now-retired District Director of Health, another Church Member and Anamoyo. Before 0700h we were visited by a brother from the Mens Christisan Fellowship (MCF) who had been queuing since 0430h with many others to vote as soon as the polls opened at 0600h. He showed us the indelible purple ink on his thumbnail. He reckoned that if voting continued like it was doing then most of Mwandi would have voted by lunch-time. There were no results that night but Electoral Commission promised the final results in 48 hours from the close of polls.
Next morning on 21st we hear that Sata is doing well in Northern, Luapula, Copperbelt and Lusaka. This is by Parallel Tabulation of Votes (PTV - counting of votes by observers before official declaration, used as a check) not official results. One of the strengths of the Zambian system is that the votes are counted locally with locals verifying the count at each polling place and the results posted outside for all to see. These results are then texted to all the Parties’ Constituency and National HQs. The Zambian National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC - state broadcaster and mouthpiece of the governing party) is playing solemn music and vainly advising people to listen to it and not to social networks or the private media as only the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) can officially declare results. Zambian Watchdog, Lusaka Times, Tumfweko and the Zambian Economist are the best sites for us living in the bush with dongles. They cover a wide spectrum of political opinion. Bantu Watch is being jammed at the moment as is the Post. Muvi TV and QFM Radio in Lusaka and the towns are apparently doing a commendable job in keeping the nation informed on what is actually going on.
The Patriotic Front (PF) are likely to pick up Mongu Central in Western. With us, United Party for National Development (UPND) (Hakainde Hichilem) won Mulobezi and Sesheke. It is suggested Banda will hold on
in Central and North West Province but with a reduced majority. There may be a few PF gains in Eastern but (the ruling) Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) should hold on there too. It is still too close to call.
There have still been no results from the Electoral Commission so it is suspected that there may be some rigging going on. There has been some rioting in Solwezi, Kanyama and John Laing in Lusaka. The rest of the country seems quiet. There have been a number of electoral malpractices exposed so that is good. At Lusaka Civic Centre there were reports of electoral officers altering results. Zambian Watchdog is the best site. Bantu Watch is being jammed at the moment as was the Post yesterday. The ECZ finally announces that the results for president in 33 seats out of 150 which gives Sata 140 000 lead over Banda.
After this the ECZ website is hacked into, PTV Presidential results for over 100 seats were posted. This was closed down and so the ECZ website became inaccessible.
On Thursday at 1800h after 116/150 constituencies have been verified the Electoral Commission announced Michael Sata had 44.4%, Rupiah Banda MMD 36.1% Hakainde Hichilema UNPD 15.5% Of the 34 left 19 were being 'verified' at HQ and the other 16 results were being awaited. As usual Godfrey Miyanda, Edith Nawakwi & Kenneth Kaunda's son are also-rans.
Last night the MMD went to court and got an injunction to prevent the private media from publishing results until they are announced by the ECZ.
There has been unrest today (Thursday) in the Copperbelt (mainly Kitwe & Ndola) Kasama and Nakonde and some compounds in Lusaka but things have quietened down again this evening. The main fear from the opposition is that there will be rigging to ensure the MMD stays in office. The MMD are refusing to concede till the fat lady sings. There are also complaints that the ECZ is being too slow and allowing the ruling party to massage and manipulate the results. On the whole the elections have been free but not really fair as the ruling party has mobilised many of the resources of the State in their party campaign.
In Western Province many of the former MMD seats are now in the hands of the UNPD. An exception is Mwandi where the former Social Welfare Minister Michael Kaingu was surprisingly returned with a 2000 majority.
The next ECZ Intimation is to be at 2200h. In the meantime more solemn music and finally a cheesy film from our national broadcaster. However, there was great activity behind the scenes. The Chairwoman of the Electoral Commission was put under great pressure by the ruling party not to announce the result. She threatened to resign. The other Presidential candidates stormed the Mulungushi National Counting Centre and insisted that the final result be declared as their results showed that Michael Sata had won.Also from the social networks we learned that at 2030h President Banda had left the Presidential Palace for State Lodge and that State Security had passed to Michael Sata.
This appeared to be the case as there were reports of a PF Victory Cavalcade headed by Silvia Musebo and company winding their way through the streets of Lusaka. Again from these sources we heard at 2130h President Banda had formally conceded defeat. We read a post that at 2255h the Chief Justice as Returning Officer for the Presidential Elections was called to Mulungushi Centre. Two hours late the Electoral Commission announced the final results for the Presidency. 143/150 seats Michael Sata received 1 150 045 votes (43%) Rupiah Banda 961 796 (36%) Hakainde Hichilem 489 944 18.5% There are 7 seats remaining but their numbers will not affect the final outcome. Sata wins the presidency but a hung parliament seems likely from the National Assembly results.
The success of this election depended on hundreds of professional and reliable hard-working people who were committed to the democratic process, who diligently checked through, sorted and counted all the ballot papers and with others ensured that an honest job was done despite attempts by a few to spoil this. We are grateful too for patriotic Zambians of integrity who kept the people informed of what was going on behind closed doors. And our thanks as well to the millions of Zambians and friends of Zambia worldwide who prayed for this nation and for the Lord’s peace and presence to felt and to be close to all especially at this time.
Showing posts with label elections. Show all posts
Showing posts with label elections. Show all posts
Tuesday, 4 October 2011
Wednesday, 3 August 2011
Election and reprobation
Earlier this week the President, Rupiah Banda, dissolved Parliament and set September 20 2011, as the date for presidential, parliamentary and local government election. In response three Church bodies - Council of Churches in Zambia, Zambia Episcopal Conference, and Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia have issued a joint pastoral letter called, ‘A call to vote in peace, truth and justice’.
It is a Christian duty, they said, for citizens to chose their leaders freely and peacefully and to build for peace and avoiding violence. ‘ Do everything possible on your part to live in peace with everybody.’ (Romans 12:18)
They also said that Christians should realise that they had a moral responsibility to vote for candidates who followed the example of Jesus Christ. They suggested too that only leaders with demonstrated integrity, a concern for social justice and with the courage to speak the truth should be elected so that clear and convincing political, economic and social programmes are implemented to reduce poverty and human suffering. This is a timely reminder that politics everywhere are about offering service to the people, especially the needy in society. Politics should not be self-serving or about self-enrichment. Political leaders, the letter continues should respect the needs of fellow human beings and works towards addressing them. This at times calls for personal sacrifice and the realisation that one is serving God's children
In the same letter, the Church criticized the Electoral Commission of Zambia for its refusal to accept parallel vote tabulation (PVT). This position says the Church is undermining ECZ’s independence and reputation as being free from manipulation but there was still time for all parties to reach an amicable solution regarding parallel vote tabulation. We have since heard that CCZ has asked for election monitors from the WCC to help to ensure a free fair and transparent electoral process
The Church urged the media to be fair and courageous in its reporting, the police to be impartial in policing the elections and called for issue-based campaigns.
However, the Church was saddened that these elections would be held still using archaic and discredited laws following the failure of constitutional reform. The Church, therefore, hoped that whoever won the 2011 elections they would commit themselves to revisit and conclude the constitution-making process.
It is a Christian duty, they said, for citizens to chose their leaders freely and peacefully and to build for peace and avoiding violence. ‘ Do everything possible on your part to live in peace with everybody.’ (Romans 12:18)
They also said that Christians should realise that they had a moral responsibility to vote for candidates who followed the example of Jesus Christ. They suggested too that only leaders with demonstrated integrity, a concern for social justice and with the courage to speak the truth should be elected so that clear and convincing political, economic and social programmes are implemented to reduce poverty and human suffering. This is a timely reminder that politics everywhere are about offering service to the people, especially the needy in society. Politics should not be self-serving or about self-enrichment. Political leaders, the letter continues should respect the needs of fellow human beings and works towards addressing them. This at times calls for personal sacrifice and the realisation that one is serving God's children
In the same letter, the Church criticized the Electoral Commission of Zambia for its refusal to accept parallel vote tabulation (PVT). This position says the Church is undermining ECZ’s independence and reputation as being free from manipulation but there was still time for all parties to reach an amicable solution regarding parallel vote tabulation. We have since heard that CCZ has asked for election monitors from the WCC to help to ensure a free fair and transparent electoral process
The Church urged the media to be fair and courageous in its reporting, the police to be impartial in policing the elections and called for issue-based campaigns.
However, the Church was saddened that these elections would be held still using archaic and discredited laws following the failure of constitutional reform. The Church, therefore, hoped that whoever won the 2011 elections they would commit themselves to revisit and conclude the constitution-making process.
Friday, 6 May 2011
Figuring things out
A belated Happy Easter. It is often very difficult in Zambia to get official statistics and so very often estimates are the only things you have to go on so it is good now and again to get some official and approved figures.
According to the Times of Zambia the population of Zambia has increased from 9,885,771 in 2000 to 13,046,508 according to the 2010 Census. 61 per cent (7,978,274) live in rural areas while 39 per cent (5,068,234) live in urban areas. 6,394,455, representing 49 per cent of the total population, were male while 6,652,053 (51 per cent) were female.
Lusaka Province had the largest population with 2,198,996 people, followed by the Copperbelt with 1,958,623, Northern Province with 1,759,600, Eastern Province at 1,707,731 and Southern Province which had 1,606,793 people. The region with the least population was North-Western Province with 706,462 while Western Province had 881,524 and Luapula Province at 958,976 people.
The census results showed that there were 6,069,753 eligible voters - people aged 18 years and above - representing 47 per cent of the total Zambian population.
Zambia now has 2,635,590 households of which 1,607,267 are rural areas while 1,028,323 are in urban centres. According to the Ministry of Finance, 700000 people are in formal employment. The labour force numbers around three million giving an unemployment rate of 77%
The Central Statistic Office states that 67% of the nation lives below the poverty datum line with 46% living in abject poverty.
It is not only in Britain that there has been a recent interest in elections. Although the Zambian elections due to be held later in the coming year and have not yet been called, campaigning by the ruling party and opposition carries on apace.
We had a Presidential election in 2008 following the death of President Levy Mwanawasa. Rupiah Banda (MMD) was elected on 40.09% Michael Sata (PF) gained 38.13% and Hachilema Haakainde (UPND) 19.4% and Godfrey Miyanda (Heritage) 0.8%. The presidential elections are FPTP as well though it has been suggested in the new constitution that the French system of 50%+1 should be adopted.
A bone of contention is that the Government has threatened to arrest anyone undertaking 'parallel voting tabulation' (PVT) as it is considered illegal. According to the Government only the Electoral Commission of Zambia may publish election results. However PVT can be a useful monitoring tool for ensuring free and fair elections, so this is likely to be challenged in the courts.
According to the Times of Zambia the population of Zambia has increased from 9,885,771 in 2000 to 13,046,508 according to the 2010 Census. 61 per cent (7,978,274) live in rural areas while 39 per cent (5,068,234) live in urban areas. 6,394,455, representing 49 per cent of the total population, were male while 6,652,053 (51 per cent) were female.
Lusaka Province had the largest population with 2,198,996 people, followed by the Copperbelt with 1,958,623, Northern Province with 1,759,600, Eastern Province at 1,707,731 and Southern Province which had 1,606,793 people. The region with the least population was North-Western Province with 706,462 while Western Province had 881,524 and Luapula Province at 958,976 people.
The census results showed that there were 6,069,753 eligible voters - people aged 18 years and above - representing 47 per cent of the total Zambian population.
Zambia now has 2,635,590 households of which 1,607,267 are rural areas while 1,028,323 are in urban centres. According to the Ministry of Finance, 700000 people are in formal employment. The labour force numbers around three million giving an unemployment rate of 77%
The Central Statistic Office states that 67% of the nation lives below the poverty datum line with 46% living in abject poverty.
It is not only in Britain that there has been a recent interest in elections. Although the Zambian elections due to be held later in the coming year and have not yet been called, campaigning by the ruling party and opposition carries on apace.
We had a Presidential election in 2008 following the death of President Levy Mwanawasa. Rupiah Banda (MMD) was elected on 40.09% Michael Sata (PF) gained 38.13% and Hachilema Haakainde (UPND) 19.4% and Godfrey Miyanda (Heritage) 0.8%. The presidential elections are FPTP as well though it has been suggested in the new constitution that the French system of 50%+1 should be adopted.
A bone of contention is that the Government has threatened to arrest anyone undertaking 'parallel voting tabulation' (PVT) as it is considered illegal. According to the Government only the Electoral Commission of Zambia may publish election results. However PVT can be a useful monitoring tool for ensuring free and fair elections, so this is likely to be challenged in the courts.
Friday, 18 February 2011
Awaiting further developments
I have asked for my teaching be compressed into 4 days so that I can use a Wednesday if necessary to travel on business to Livingstone. On returning from there yesterday I noticed at Makanga, a settlement about 15km away from Mwandi, a long gang of piece-workers shovelling sand and digging out a long trench. This is to contain the Chinese-sponsored fibre-optic cable that will eventually be laid from Livingstone to Sesheke once the Lusaka-Livingstone stage is complete.
I was struck by the stark contrast there: the inhabitants of a daub and wattle village digging the trench for 21st century technology to be made available to a fortunate minority in Mwandi and Sesheke, who will be part of the much vaunted global village, but which like the electricity pylons on the other side of the road, will pass the inhabitants of rural Makanga by.
On the other hand, we have made good progress with the Sikuzu Community School. The Bill of Quantities has been calculated and to build the three classrooms; materials and labour included, comes to K233m, $51,850 or GBP32,500. On Tuesday the Committee signed the contract and we hope to start work very soon.
We have at the moment a group of medical students and tutors staying with us at Simba. They come from Eastern North Carolina which too, like this part of Zambia, has a number health issues directly related to poverty. There is an important community aspect to their training and it is good for them to get to see matters from the perspective of a developing country. Most of them are paediatricians, so they have been happy to visit the Orphan and Vulnerable Children Project.
With the moving of the Labour Ward to the Maternity Unit that has freed up the second theatre, so Ida is working on organising the operating theatres and Central Stores. She is looking in particular at infection control and the possible establishment and future workings of the two theatres. They are also preparing for Quarterly District Assessment. Another task in hand is the repair of the leaks in the hospital roof.
We are expecting the return of Ruairidh from Australia in early March and Fiona and Lucy a month or so later when Fiona is given the all clear from with her thyroid from the Doctors there. We have missed them, Lucy has taken her first steps and now has her front teeth.
On Friday fuel was raised by over 11 per cent, the rise in global crude prices and the depreciation of the Kwacha against the dollar being given as the reasons. This will have an adverse affect on prices, food prices in particular and on the annual inflation rate. It takes 40 litres of diesel for a return trip to Livingstone. This will now cost K320,000 instead of K280,000. (GBP45 or $70)
The Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ) has urged President Banda in a meeting with him to deal urgently and constructively with the contentious matters raised by Barotseland Agreement of 1964 and the issues arising from the recent sad turn of events in Mongu. The difficulty is that although Zambia is a unitary state, the Agreement brought about a quasi-federation between Northern Rhodesia and Barotseland which has in effect brought into being a state within a state, Western Province within Zambia. This is evidenced by the President of Zambia having to pay a courtesy-call on the Litunga (King) any time, he visits Western Province for any reason.
The underdevelopment being complained about is also being blamed by the Central Government on the traditional Lozi custom which forbids the purchase, selling or freehold ownership of land. It is being argued that no investor will invest in an area where they will not own the land. This argument, I imagine, is not unconnected to the fact that a number of multi-national companies have been recently allocated by the Central Government, blocks to prospect for oil, gas and other minerals.
This is election year for President, National Assembly and Local Government and so the CCZ also urged the Government to restore confidence in the Electoral Commission whose Director was suspended and did not have his contract renewed. The Chairwoman, widely viewed as a woman of integrity, resigned because of outside interference.
The Church expects a free, fair and violence-free election to be held on a level playing field and that people found abusing, stealing, diverting or misapplying hard-earned taxpayers money or other donor or government money be prosecuted without fear or favour. The Church also requested that the Government help to gather in and store the bumper maize crop too much of which is now rotting and going to waste in rural areas.
Finally, the Human Rights Commission in Mongu has been criticized by a Catholic body CARITAS for being ineffective in defending local people’s rights. In fact, the Commission is on record as supporting the police in its ‘noble’ efforts to maintain law and order, thereby defending the use of live ammunition to kill people. Arrested suspects were imprisoned and kept in containers along with injured people for 4 days without food or access to medical care. There are still 106 detainees incarcerated at Mumbwa and 22 people charged with treason in cramped conditions in Lusaka.
I was struck by the stark contrast there: the inhabitants of a daub and wattle village digging the trench for 21st century technology to be made available to a fortunate minority in Mwandi and Sesheke, who will be part of the much vaunted global village, but which like the electricity pylons on the other side of the road, will pass the inhabitants of rural Makanga by.
On the other hand, we have made good progress with the Sikuzu Community School. The Bill of Quantities has been calculated and to build the three classrooms; materials and labour included, comes to K233m, $51,850 or GBP32,500. On Tuesday the Committee signed the contract and we hope to start work very soon.
We have at the moment a group of medical students and tutors staying with us at Simba. They come from Eastern North Carolina which too, like this part of Zambia, has a number health issues directly related to poverty. There is an important community aspect to their training and it is good for them to get to see matters from the perspective of a developing country. Most of them are paediatricians, so they have been happy to visit the Orphan and Vulnerable Children Project.
With the moving of the Labour Ward to the Maternity Unit that has freed up the second theatre, so Ida is working on organising the operating theatres and Central Stores. She is looking in particular at infection control and the possible establishment and future workings of the two theatres. They are also preparing for Quarterly District Assessment. Another task in hand is the repair of the leaks in the hospital roof.
We are expecting the return of Ruairidh from Australia in early March and Fiona and Lucy a month or so later when Fiona is given the all clear from with her thyroid from the Doctors there. We have missed them, Lucy has taken her first steps and now has her front teeth.
On Friday fuel was raised by over 11 per cent, the rise in global crude prices and the depreciation of the Kwacha against the dollar being given as the reasons. This will have an adverse affect on prices, food prices in particular and on the annual inflation rate. It takes 40 litres of diesel for a return trip to Livingstone. This will now cost K320,000 instead of K280,000. (GBP45 or $70)
The Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ) has urged President Banda in a meeting with him to deal urgently and constructively with the contentious matters raised by Barotseland Agreement of 1964 and the issues arising from the recent sad turn of events in Mongu. The difficulty is that although Zambia is a unitary state, the Agreement brought about a quasi-federation between Northern Rhodesia and Barotseland which has in effect brought into being a state within a state, Western Province within Zambia. This is evidenced by the President of Zambia having to pay a courtesy-call on the Litunga (King) any time, he visits Western Province for any reason.
The underdevelopment being complained about is also being blamed by the Central Government on the traditional Lozi custom which forbids the purchase, selling or freehold ownership of land. It is being argued that no investor will invest in an area where they will not own the land. This argument, I imagine, is not unconnected to the fact that a number of multi-national companies have been recently allocated by the Central Government, blocks to prospect for oil, gas and other minerals.
This is election year for President, National Assembly and Local Government and so the CCZ also urged the Government to restore confidence in the Electoral Commission whose Director was suspended and did not have his contract renewed. The Chairwoman, widely viewed as a woman of integrity, resigned because of outside interference.
The Church expects a free, fair and violence-free election to be held on a level playing field and that people found abusing, stealing, diverting or misapplying hard-earned taxpayers money or other donor or government money be prosecuted without fear or favour. The Church also requested that the Government help to gather in and store the bumper maize crop too much of which is now rotting and going to waste in rural areas.
Finally, the Human Rights Commission in Mongu has been criticized by a Catholic body CARITAS for being ineffective in defending local people’s rights. In fact, the Commission is on record as supporting the police in its ‘noble’ efforts to maintain law and order, thereby defending the use of live ammunition to kill people. Arrested suspects were imprisoned and kept in containers along with injured people for 4 days without food or access to medical care. There are still 106 detainees incarcerated at Mumbwa and 22 people charged with treason in cramped conditions in Lusaka.
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