Transparency International Zambia (TIZ) says the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has lost its credibility, confidence and trust from citizens hence their work is going to be undermined if they don’t redeem themselves through professionalism in order to gain trust back from cross section of Zambian citizens.
TIZ president Maurice Nyambe said the happenings that were seen around Kwacha and Kabushi constituency by-elections because their seems to be a bit of infringements upon rights on the opposition candidates.
In an exclusive Interview with the Zambian Business Times-ZBT, Nyambe stated that the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) should avoid the temptation of being used as a tool or used to advance the narrow political interests of a particular political party.
He said the institution needs to function as an independent body with the highest level of integrity and professionalism in line with what is stipulated in the constitution and what the constitution mandates it to do.
Nyambe added that EZC has taken itself into a dark corner in the way it has conducted itself towards by-elections.
He however noted that after the court ruling ECZ still has the chance of redeeming itself and gain the trust of the people through sticking to what the constitution demands of it as an independent institution adding that ECZ is not responsible for the interpretation of the constitution but it is however an institution that manages elections and it should avoid doing things over and above what they are mandate for.
Meanwhile, following the high court ruling delivered on 13th September 2022, staying or suspending the elections for Kabushi and Kwacha constituencies, the by-elections set for 15th September 2022 shall not take place in the respective constituencies until further notice, ECZ has confirmed after it become clear that there was no way the elections could proceed.
