ECZ 2 Million Short In Voter Registration Exercise

The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has registered an additional 600,000 voters during the four day extension period. The new register now captures just over 7 million voters. 

However, the figure is almost 2 million short on the ECZ’s target of 9 million.

The register will be used in the 2021 general elections and also capture 93% of eligible prisoners as voters. 

“The Commission had captured a total of 6,407,752 registered voters during phases one, two, three and four of the exercise. The extended four days gave us a figure of 612,997 registered voters, bringing the total number of registered voters for the entire period of the voter registration exercise to a provisional total of 7,020,749,” ECZ Chief Electoral Officer Patrick Nshindano announced.

The ECZ extended the voter registration exercise by four days, from Thursday December 17 up until midnight on Sunday December 20.

This extension came after the initial exercise, which began on November 9, concluded on December 12 amid widespread calls for an extension.

Among those to have called for a longer period for voter registration was the Chapter One Foundation. According to the group 30 days was not long enough to effectively capture Zambia’s nine million eligible voters and presented “an unwarranted barrier for voters.” 

“As Zambia nears elections set for August 2021, it is imperative that a free and fair electoral process is promoted; one that is accessible to all potential voters. The decision by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to conduct voter registration for a period of only 30 days serves as an unwarranted barrier for voters, as the registration period is not sufficient for the ECZ to effectively capture all 9 million eligible voters in the country,” the group previously cautioned. 

Chapter One has also raised concerns regarding the mobile National Registration Card (NRC) issuance exercise that has been limited to certain areas of the country. According to Chapter One the move could potentially disenfranchise eligible voters.

Opposition and civil society have also challenged the legality of the process and the creation of a new voters register on the basis that it could disenfranchise large numbers of citizens on the existing register.