PDP's statement on Zambia elections

The People's Democratic Party (PDP) would like to congratulate the people of Zambia for coming out in large numbers and voting peacefully in last week's general elections.

However, as PDP we note with serious concerns the number of irregularities that were noted during the election period and counting process.

We also note with concern that the African Union (AU) and the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) rushed to endorse the presidential election result without investigating concerns raised by the opposition parties.

The opposition was concerns on how the election had been fraudulently conducted and was marred by serious errors in vote tallying of the presidential vote while over 14 000 casted votes for opposition president, Hakainde Hichilema were found stuffed in a bin.

Some polling stations opened late while ink pads ran out and ink stamps broke down.

Polling agents from opposition parties were chased away from polling stations and there was the disenfranchisement of many voters who discovered on the day of voting that their names were not on the voters' roll while some had been transferred to faraway places and were unable to cast their votes.

It is therefore clear that the Zambian elections did not adhere to the country's laws and did not meet the minimum standards and guidelines of SADC and international community for free, fair and credible elections.

In the run-up to the Zambia election, the state media had used dirty tactics whilst independent newspapers such as  The Post were shutdown.

In light of these challenges in Zambia's elections, it is clear that unless significant electoral changes are made in Zimbabwe before the 2018 elections, we will witness a similar or a worse fraudulent election in the country.

The PDP foresees a national disaster in the 2018 election where massive electoral theft orchestrated by the Zanu PF regime will take place.
 
As PDP we are concerned that with less than two years before the 2018 elections, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has not done any meaningful progress in ensuring it is in full control of the voting process.

The biometric voters' roll (BVR), which requires time and resources to put in place ahead of 2018, is not available.

The BVR will enhance inclusiveness and transparency and bar Zanu PF's massive rigging techniques.

The BVR is, however, not the sum total of a panacea to a credible election.

The Electoral Act, which is key element in ensuring free, fair and uncontested elections and gives autonomy to ZEC, is yet to be harmonised with the country's Constitution.
 
As we have put it across in our Agenda for the Restoration and Rehabilitation of Electoral Sustainability (ARREST) policy document, PDP's strong contention is that free and fair elections can only come to fruition if the following conditions are met;
 
- The creation of a brand new Biometric Voters' Roll.

- The immediate disbanding of the ZEC and creation of a new national election management body and re-composition of the secretariat.

- The creation of a transitional elections management body under the curatorship of SADC and the AU for the purposes of the 2018 election.

- The creation of an independent electoral court.

- The creation of wholly independent electoral courts of violence and opening up of the media space.

- The demilitarization of electoral processes and the electoral environment.

- An impartial traditional leadership.

- Continuous voter registration exercise and voter education to be carried out by all stakeholders.

- The adoption of the Diaspora vote and cancellation of the use of voter slips.

- The inclusion of an electoral code of conduct in the new Electoral Act.
 
Another Zimbabwe is Possible!!!