Table of Contents
Foreword 4
Abbreviations 6
Chapter 1.0: Introduction 7
Chapter 2.0: Methodology 9
Chapter 3: Key Findings 10
Long-Term Observation 10
Voter Education by Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) 10
Voter Education by CSOs 11
Voter Education by Political Parties 12
Voter Education by Local Media 13
Misleading Voter Education 13
Harassment of ECZ Voter Educators 14
Voter Education Targeting Women, Youth and People Living with Disabilities 14
ECZ Preparations 15
Personal Rights and Freedoms 16
Political Party Behaviour 17
Political Party Elections 18
Media 19
Government Actions 19
Chapter 4: Emerging Issues 21
Printing of Ballot Papers Starts 21
Intensifying sensitization on the Referendum 21
Increased Electoral Violence 21
The Closure of the Post 21
Chapter 5: Conclusion 23
Chapter 6: Recommendations 24
Electoral Commission of Zambia 24
Political Parties 24
CSOs and Church Groups 25
The Police 25
To the Media 25
The Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) 25
The General Citizen 25
Appendices 26
Foreword
In 1991, Zambia became a multiparty democracy. From that time the country has been holding democratic elections for local government, parliament and the presidency. During these elections, citizens have been able to exercise their right to choose leaders of their choice. The 2016 general elections will see an inclusion of the mayoral elections as stipulated in the amended national constitution.
Owing to the fluid nature of the electoral process in Zambia, the political environment has changed tremendously in the recent past. One major cause is the amended constitution which has brought to the fore new clauses which include among others, the requirement that a candidate win more than 50% of the valid votes cast during the election resulting in a majoritarian system of winning elections as opposed to the first-past-the-post winning of elections (where a presidential candidate could previously win elections with a minority of votes) and the grade twelve minimum academic qualification for presidency, Member of Parliament (MP), councillor and mayoral positions.
Additionally, the political environment has been marred with political violence within different political factions. Many political party supporters have become intolerant to divergent political views. Various stakeholders have come on board to decry the escalating levels of political violence that have taken root in Zambia.
Despite statements from political party leadership asking their political supporters to desist from engaging in political violence, the trend has continued to escalate, at times leaving innocent people injured. The on-going period is no exception with regards violence. Thus, many stakeholders, including church organizations, have come on board to ensure that the peace that Zambia enjoys prior, during and after elections is preserved.
The Christian Churches Monitoring Group (CCMG) is an alliance of four faith-based organizations which was launched in November 2014. The main purpose of CCMG is to monitor the electoral process to ensure the credibility of elections. CCMG currently is monitoring the electoral process under a project called the Electoral Process Monitoring Project (EPMP) through Long-Term Observation of electoral processes.
The other three approaches CCMG is using to monitor are Voter Registration Monitoring (VRM), Voter’s Register Audit (VRA) and Parallel Vote Tabulation (PVT). Under the LTO exercise, thematic areas being monitored and reported include: information on the political situation, human rights, media coverage, political participation, registration of voters, nomination process, inspection of provisional Voters’ Register and the campaign period. Information on these areas is collected from districts across Zambia.
To operationalize the LTO, CCMG has deployed 106 District Monitors (DMs) to gather information. The information is used by CCMG to make its initial statements on the election process, the campaign period and the post-election period. However, in case of an emergency or serious development, a critical incident report is generated detailing what transpired in a reported case.
This report is a compilation of the findings of CCMG based on the observation of the general political environment, media and ECZ preparations in the districts. It is our belief that only through objective self-evaluation by all stakeholders is it possible for the electoral process players to promote the credibility, transparency and inclusiveness of Zambian elections. CCMG is pleased to contribute to this effort and will continue to offer this service for the benefit of mother Zambia.
CCMG recognizes the role of all the CCMG members who have worked tirelessly to ensure that this effort is a success. CCMG is thankful to the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) for allowing our monitors to gather and record the data that has been compiled to make this report. Finally, CCMG is grateful and indebted to the American people through United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for their financial support, which made it possible for CCMG to undertake the LTO to date. We also acknowledge the technical support we have received from National Democratic Institute (NDI) Zambia.
Rev Suzanne Matale
Chairperson, Christian Churches Monitoring Group (CCMG)
Abbreviations
CCMG Christian Churches Monitoring Group
CCZ Christian Churches of Zambia
CSOs Civil Society Organizations
DEBS District Education Board Secretary
DNRPC Department of National Registration, Passport and Citizenship
DRO District Registration Officers
DVEF District Voter Education Facilitator
ECZ Electoral Commission of Zambia
EPMP Electoral Process Monitoring Project
EFZ Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia
FODEP Foundation for Democratic Process
JCTR Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection
MMD Movement for Multiparty Democracy
NDI National Democratic Institute for International Affairs
PF Patriotic Front
UCZ United Church of Zambia
UPND United Party for National Development
ZNBC Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation
ZNWL Zambia National Women’s Lobby
Chapter 1.0: Introduction
The Christian Churches Monitoring Group (CCMG) is an alliance of four faith-based organizations. The CCMG member organizations are: Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ), Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ), and Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflections (JCTR), and Zambia Episcopal Conference (ZEC) through Caritas Zambia. The alliance works together to improve democratic governance and electoral processes in Zambia. CCMG is currently undertaking four complementary and equally important citizen monitoring efforts. These are:
· Long-Term Observation (LTO) – This programme will run during the pre-election period, election period and post-election period. In this effort, the monitor observes the electoral environment and any relevant electoral processes and sends the data to CCMG.[1]
· Voter Register Audit- This thematic area will provide an assessment of the accuracy and comprehensiveness of the voters’ register.
· Parallel Vote Tabulation (PVT) - This thematic area will utilize non-partisan observers in a sample of polling stations to systematically assess the quality of voting and counting processes, and to accurately estimate voting outcomes and verify official election results.
· Voter Registration Monitoring (VRM) – This project monitored the mobile voter registration period in its entirety. The monitors visited a sampled set of registration centers during the mobile voter registration period. Additionally, DMs continued visiting the voter register inspection civic centers during the national voter register inspection of the provisional register ahead of the 11 August 2016 general elections. This information has been incorporated in this LTO report. In addition, a report on the voter registration exercise as a whole is forthcoming.
Based on the member organizations’ past work in monitoring the electoral process, especially the events prior to election day in 2015, CCMG determined it would be cardinal to speak authoritatively on the 2016 general elections. CCMG is mindful of the fact that the outcome of an election is not determined solely by the events of the voting day but also by the transparency and integrity of the entire electoral process that leads to the voting day. Thus, during this period leading to the 2016 general elections, CCMG will monitor, document and publicize activities in the electoral process that will include voter registration (mobile and at civic centers), delimitation in the six (6) constituencies, inspection of the provisional voters’ register through the Voter Register Audit (VRA), nominations, the legal framework, political parties’ behavior, the media coverage of the election activities, the general campaign environment and polling day through Parallel Vote Tabulation (PVT).
CCMG believes that, through monitoring of the electoral process, the citizens of Zambia can have an independent and informed view of the process. This will help build confidence in the electoral system heading to the 2016 general elections.
Objectives of the Christian Churches Monitoring Group (CCMG)
· To contribute to the transparency of the process of the registration of voters in preparation for the 2016 elections.
· To give an independent, objective opinion on the voter registration process by systematically gathering and sharing objective and accurate information.
· To deter irregularities in the electoral process.
· To get an informed opinion on the general political environment during the pre-election period through long-term observation.
· To build citizen confidence, and indirectly participation, in the overall election process leading towards election day.
Chapter 2.0: Methodology
CCMG is undertaking Long-Term Observation (LTO) to monitor the political environment and ECZ preparations for election day in each of the districts. The LTO monitoring effort is intended to determine whether regional and international standards in the electoral process are being observed and to assess the overall environment in which the electoral processes are taking place.
For the LTO monitoring exercise, CCMG utilizes its 106 District Monitors (one for each district and two for Chama, Lusaka, and Mpika due to their size). CCMG's District Monitors received detailed training on how to serve as long-term observers and how to transmit their reports via coded text messages using their mobile phones. A uniform checklist was developed and circulated to the District Monitors (DMs) for them to capture critical information on the process and thereafter, enter the information and text their report to CCMG Data Center on a weekly basis. Subsequently, the filled out checklists are submitted to CCMG Secretariat for verification. The District Monitors (DMs) also have follow-up interviews from the data clerks on certain findings that require verification. In addition, if a serious issue arises the DMs send in a critical incident report detailing the event.
This report covered the period from 7 June to 28 June, 2016. During the period under observation, CCMG received 424 reports representing 100% response rate.
Chapter 3: Key Findings
Long-Term Observation
The Christian Churches Monitoring Group’s (CCMG) Long-Term Observation approach is a continuous monitoring effort that has been conducted since September 2015 and will continue through the 2016 general elections. Under the Long-Term Observation, CCMG observes and disseminates its findings on the general political environment.
This report covers the period from 7 June to 28 June, 2016.
Voter Education by Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ)
CCMG monitors recorded that they witnessed (42%) or heard of (29%) of the Electoral Commission informing people about voter education in the districts. In 29% of the districts the monitors could not establish if voter education activities were carried out by the Electoral Commission.
The methods used by the Electoral Commission to carry out voter education were:
· Use of public address systems, as reported in Chingola District, Copperbelt Province where ECZ officials were deployed in the district to provide education on the importance of voting in the 2016 general elections and the referendum;
· Door-to-door programs by District Voter Education Facilitators (DVEF) sensitizing people on how to vote in the forthcoming general elections and the general electoral process in Milenge District, Luapula Province.
· Use of drama performances by ECZ to educate people on voting in the elections and referendum in Kantanshi Constituency, Mufulira District, Copperbelt Province.
· Use of radio by the ECZ in Bangweulu Constituency, Samfya District in Luapula Province to run adverts on the 2016 general elections and the referendum on Bangweulu radio station.
Fig 1.1: Have you witnessed or heard the ECZ informing people about voter education?
Voter Education by CSOs
In 58% of the districts, the CCMG monitors could not establish if any CSOs were undertaking voter education. In 17% of the districts the monitors witnessed voter education activities by CSOs, while in 25% they heard of CSO voter education-related activities.
Among the CSOs recorded doing voter education are:
· Church groups;
· Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) and Young Women Christian Association (YWCA) were in Chiwempala market, in Chingola District in Copperbelt Province educating people on the 2016 general elections and the referendum.
Fig 1.2: Have you witnessed or heard of any civil society organizations informing people about voter education?
Voter Education by Political Parties
In 60% of the districts, CCMG monitors reported that political parties were not undertaking voter education, while in 40% of the districts, monitors witnessed (18%) and heard of (22%) of political parties undertaking voter education.
Voter education efforts by political parties include:
· UPND was reported to have conducted voter education in Rufunsa District in Lusaka Province providing information on general elections;
· PF and UPND were reported to have conducted voter education in Chingola and Nchanga Constituencies respectively in Copperbelt Province educating people on the importance of taking part in the forthcoming 2016 general elections.
Fig 1.3: Have you witnessed or heard of any political parties informing people about voter education?
Voter Education by Local Media
In 75% of the districts, CCMG monitors did not record any incidences of the local media airing or printing voter education information outside their news coverage. However, in 25% of the districts, 9% of the monitors witnessed and 16% heard of local media conducting voter education. In Chingola District, Copperbelt Province, Kokoliko FM and High Wave FM gave information on the voting process in the 2016 general elections and the referendum.