LUSAKA - The European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) has raised concerns over the conduct of results tabulation in Zambia's just-ended General Election, citing a significant deterioration in the process following the suspension of the counting and announcement of results.
The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) suspended the counting and announcement of election results nationwide from 12:00 hours to 18:00 hours on August 14, a day after polling, following violent incidents targeting polling staff and allegations of ballot box theft.
In a statement, the EU EOM said its observers were present at 64 tabulation centres, where the process was assessed as "very good" in 43 percent of observations before the suspension. Polling agents and citizen observers were present at almost all centres observed and generally followed the entry of results.
However, the EU EOM said the conduct of tabulation deteriorated significantly after the suspension was lifted.
The mission said staff at many centres failed to record results on tally sheets immediately after they were announced by returning officers, contrary to electoral process regulations.
It further reported that extended breaks occurred in almost half of its observations, with returning officers appearing to wait for instructions from ECZ headquarters before announcing results.
According to the mission, the presence of security personnel was also accompanied by a decline in the number of party agents and citizen observers at the centres compared with the period before the suspension.
The EU EOM also criticised the ECZ's approach to publishing election results. The mission noted that the electoral body had launched a results website before Election Day but did not publish partial results on the platform.
In Central Province, the EU EOM said credible witnesses reported that suspected UPND cadres raided two of the three tabulation centres in Kabwe on August 16, seriously disrupting the tabulation process.
The mission said the incidents and other observations would form part of its assessment of the overall electoral process.
Source: Phoenix News | By: Josphat Mbewe