Operation Young Vote Appalled By Restrictions On NRC Registrations

Operation Young Vote (OYV) says that it is “not only appalled and dismayed but also very concerned and displeased” by moves taken by the Ministry of Home Affairs to prevent monitoring of the 2020 Mobile issuance of the National Registration Cards (NRCs). 

On August 1 Home Affairs Minister Hon Stephen Kampyongo kicked off phase one of the mobile registration exercise. The exercise is intended to increase coverage and reach out to citizens who live in hard to reach areas.  

The 2020 mobile registration exercise is expected be conducted in a two-phased approach of 40 days each. 

“Phase one will cover Luapula, Northern, North-Western, Copperbelt and Eastern provinces while phase two will cover Western, Southern, Lusaka, Central and Muchinga provinces”. 

Just days later the Ministry of Home Affairs ordered organisations which have taken to monitoring the newly launched exercise to disband and allow officials tasked with monitoring voter registration to do their job. 

Ministry spokesperson Nephas Chifuta said the mobile registration exercise is a normal operation for the government and does not call for external monitoring by other organisations.  

In particular Mr Chifuta said the Home Affairs Ministry has its own systems for appraisal and mechanisms in place to recognise which areas should be revisited to ensure identity cards are issued.  

Writing on the suspension Executive Director of OYV Guess Nyirenda stated, “As OYV we find the pronouncement and threats misplaced in that the exercise is not an ordinary undertaking but an extraordinary one whose many purpose is related to the forth coming voter registration exercise by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) and the 2021 National Elections. This sudden apprehension by Government on citizens monitoring on how a service is being provided to members of the general public leaves a lot to be desired. This is very unusual especially that this is not the first time Zambia is conducting the Mobile Issuance of NRCs in relation to the electoral process.”  

“The skepticism perception Government is trying to employ to the point of seemingly being scared of its own shadow must not be allowed anywhere near the process as it is a recipe for mistrust and loss of confidence by the citizens in such undertakings of paramount significance in the nation,” he continued.  

“OYV is of the conviction that Zambia having ratified and being a state party to many sub-regional, regional, and international protocols and conventions that espouse transparency and accountability, robust and comprehensive citizens and stakeholders’ participation coupled with the aspirations of national plans such as the 7th National Development Plan (7NDP) and other policies of leaving NO ONE behind, its failure to understand and appreciate the goal and objectives of the exercise at hand specifically and the mandate of the Ministry generally,” Nyirenda adds. 

“OYV would therefore like to challenge Government in general and the Ministry of Home Affairs particularly to own up and walk the path of transparency and accountability by allowing members of the general public and Civil Society Organisations to monitor the Mobile NRC Issuance implementation if indeed this exercise is to yield fruits that favour Zambia and Zambians,” he concludes.