The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has successfully conducted the first certification of the Register of Voters under the Continuous Registration of Voters.
ECZ Chief Electoral Officer, Brown Kasaro says a total of 13,363 registered voters constituting about 45 percent female and 55 percent male, have been incorporated into the 2021 Register of Voters.
Mr Kasaro certified the Register of Voters to include those who registered from June 2022 to December 2022.
He said the overall count on the national register now stands at 7,036,862, indicating an increase from the previous total of 7,023,499.
“Out of the total 7,036,862, females are 3,757,115 representing 53.4 percent while 3,279,747 are male representing 46.6 percent,” he added.
ZANIS reports that Mr Kasaro was speaking at a media briefing in Lusaka.
He explained that the certification means that the 13,363 who registered during the period June to December 2022 are eligible to vote in elections that will be conducted with effect from today, February 21, 2024.
“Moving forward, this Register of Voters replaces all previous Registers and shall remain in force until a new Register of Voters is prepared and certified,” he added.
He highlighted that the Commission registered a total of 28,728 voters from January 2023 to December 2023, adding that this provisional data will be subjected to inspection, thereafter, the commission will certify the Register of Voters for those who registered in 2023, on 30 July 2024.
Mr Kasaro said the Commission is currently conducting Continuous Registration of Voters in 20 districts across the country and further announced that ECZ will launch Continuous Registration of Voters in 10 additional districts on April 4, 2024.
“We reiterate our commitment to ensure that all eligible citizens participate in the electoral process as it is their right. our collective call to action is to work together and create awareness on continuous registration of voters,” he added.
And Zambia Centre for Inter-Party Dialogue (ZCID) Board Chairperson, Joyce Musenge has commended the ECZ for taking a step in the registration of voters.
“I just want to commend the ECZ for this milestone. It is an important milestone because it takes away suspicion that the ECZ is probably trying to manipulate an election every time. As political parties, we want to partner with ECZ so that we can take away this veil of suspicion, so that the conduct of elections are above board and they are acceptable to all parties,” she said.
Ms Musenge further said it is incumbent upon political parties to encourage the youths and persons with disabilities to participate in the continuous registration of voters.
