elections

Wisdom Muyunda has congratulated the victors in this month’s parliamentary and local government by-elections in Zambia.

In his letter to the editor of the Daily Mail, Muyunda, who commended the maturity exhibited during the campaigns and after the results were announced, states that, “For once the elections were free of violence, which is a plus for our growing democracy.”

However, he also appeals to the Electoral Commission of Zambia and all stakeholders to embark on the mammoth task of sensitising registered voters on the importance of voting.

The United Nations secretary-general, Ban Ki Moon, has commended the Lesotho Independent Electoral Commission for preparing the elections.

Ki-moon has also hailed the Southern African Development Community, which has led efforts to peacefully resolve political challenges in Lesotho.

A surprising result is that the Royal village of Mastieng has gone to the Democratic Congress, despite Prime Minister, Tom Thabane, vowing to protect the monarchy in a case in which the Attorney General is suing the King.

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Council of Non-Governmental Organisations has described Zambia’s Presidential election as credible.
 
SADC Council of NGOs election observation mission head of delegation, Safonea Shale, notes that polling day was peaceful and people cast their votes without coercion, undue influence or intimidation.
 
Shale says the mission has observed that the majority of polling stations opened on time which sends a strong message of the preparedness of the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ).
 

President of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Council of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) monitoring Zambia’s election, Lewis Mwape, says his organisation has noted with concern increasing levels of hate speech among several political leaders.

Mwape states that tribal talk and branding of political competitors is retrogressive and does not only deter democracy but also threatens national security.

He says the council has also observed that ambitious promises have heightened in the campaigns.

The Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) has expressed concern that some non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Zambia are getting involved in partisan politics and active campaigns for political candidates.

YALI governance advisor, Isaac Mwanza, says even if he believes in the right of NGOs to be critical of government and politicians, he also believes that civil society organisations must avoid the temptation of engaging in active partisan politics that favour one candidate against another.

The Electoral Court in Johannesburg has reserved judgement in the alleged vote-rigging case of the Tlokwe Municipality's by-elections of 2013.

It was a long day for the hopeful independent candidates who brought the application to the Electoral Court, who complained about vote rigging.

The independent candidates were not happy with the investigations that the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) conducted and want the court to impose an interdict to allow a third party to investigate the alleged vote-rigging.

As the Southern African Development Community (SADC) ‘election year’ continues to unfold, the region’s ability to handle conflicts related to polls is once again being put to the test.
 
Malawi and South Africa in May 2014, Mozambique on 15 October 2014 and Botswana on 24 October 2014.
 

According to the Southern African Development Community (SADC) electoral observer mission (SEOM) deployed to monitor Mozambican elections, that country’s 2014 elections were generally ‘peaceful, transparent, free and fair and credible’.

SADC observer mission head and South Africa’s International Relations Minister, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane says, “There are some best practices which the SEOM noted during the electoral process.”

The Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa says the time has come for a modern leader to be elected in Mozambique's elections.

The organisation’s executive director, Denis Kadima, says that people need a modern leader who does not come with baggage of liberation fighting.

The comments come as the ruling party, the Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (FRELIMO) chose a presidential candidate with no struggle credentials and comes from a different province.