“We are expecting a total number of 1.7 million new voters and ECZ hopes that by the end of the registration process the total number of registered voters will raise to 6.9 million.” The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has targeted to register 1.7 million new voters by 2016.
Speaking during a meeting to update political parties and stakeholders on the preparations for the registration exercise, ECZ chairperson Esau Chulu said mobile teams will be dispatched to various registration centres around the country and will spend 14 days at each centre.
“These teams will be in charge of registering voters and will cover all districts by the end of the registration process,” he said.
Justice Chulu further revealed that this exercise had been put in place by the ECZ to enable eligible citizens to register as voters.
“Some people may have lost their cards, been transferred or are dead and they may need to be removed,” he added.
The Chairperson explained that the exercise would run from 14th September to 11th November 2015 throughout the country.
Justice Chulu however noted that the registration process in Luapula, Copperbelt and North Western Provinces will be extend to 31st March 2016.
He explained that this was due to the insufficiency of equipment and materials which has led to the process being slow.
He explained ECZ was working at the pace of The Department for National Registration and Citizenship (DNRC) who are also undertaking a mobile National Registration Card (NRC) registration process and would only be in these provinces in November.
“Initially, the ECZ had planned to end its registration on 11th November but had extended because of the same … ECZ will work at the pace of DNRC in order to insure that all eligible voters have a chance to get their NRC S so that they could register,” Justice Chulu said.
He added, “We are expecting a total number of 1.7 million new voters and ECZ hopes that by the end of the registration process the total number of registered voters will raise to 6.9 million.”
The registration will be done at all polling stations and civic centres around the country.
ECZ to register 1.7 million new voters by 2016
