Plot 3/110a Musonda Ngosa Road
Lusaka
Telephone: +260 1 223935/6, 223940; Fax: +260 1 223941
E-mail: eueu@coppernet.zm
Website: www.eueu-Zambia.org
Chief Observer: Michael Meadowcroft
INTERIM STATEMENT ON ZAMBIAN ELECTORAL PROCESS 2001
The
European Union has been pleased to accept the invitation of the Government
of the Republic of Zambia to send a team of International Observers to
participate in the tripartite elections of 2001.
It
has also been pleased to take on the invitation of the Electoral Commission
of Zambia to observe all aspects of the electoral process, including the
Voter Registration exercise.
It
has now completed its observation of Voter Registration and has pleasure
in publishing its report, which is attached herewith.
The
report expresses concern that only 55% of eligible Zambian citizens were
registered to vote, suggesting a worrying degree of public apathy.
The
report also draws attention to a number of practical reasons for the low
voter registration:
·the
need to have a National Registration Card to register, when over 20% of
those eligible do not possess one; this disenfranchises approaching one
million citizens;
·the
need for an elector to make two separate visits to a registration centre
before receiving his or her Voter Registration Card;
·the
restriction of opening hours of registration centres which increased the
difficulties of registration for those in regular work;
·the
lack of timely resources for the Electoral Commission of Zambia, which
caused difficulties in getting registration centres fully open and which
limited early publicity;
·financial
limitations on the role of NGOs in civic education;
·the
failure of most political parties to enthuse and to organise their supporters
to register.
Michael Meadowcroft
Chief Observer
17th December 2001