— Civic leaders petition for an increase in number of wards for Kasempa

Civic leaders petition for an increase in number of wards for Kasempa

Kasempa, August 14,  2014,  ZANIS  — Civic leaders in Kasempa have petitioned government to reconsider its recent decision of not increasing the number of wards in Kasempa constituency.

 

The civic leaders led by Area Member of Parliament Kabinga Pande  have appealed to the minister of Local government and Housing for government not to go ahead with the action as it is one of  among the largest in the country.

 

Mr  Pande  has urged the minister of Local government and Housing to give Kasempa a bigger number of wards in order to reduce on the distances covered when voting.

 

He cited Nkoya and Kalombe wards in Kasempa were people walk 50 kilometers to cast their votes as one of the justifications why the constituency should be given an increased number of wards.

 

ZANIS reports that the parliamentarian said this during a stakeholders meeting on delimitation of wards and poling districts which was held yesterday at the civic center.

 

He argued that some constituencies in Lusaka such Chawama are by far smaller than that of Kasempa yet have more wards.

 

“We are appealing to minister of local government not to apply a blanket 20 percent across the country because some constituencies such as Kasempa are bigger in terms of size,” he argued.

Mr Pande said Kasempa exhibited voter apathy in the 2006/2011 general elections where only 45 percent turned out to cast their votes adding that such could only be attributed to long distances.

 

“Once we increase the number of wards we will reduce on voter apathy was experienced in the 2006 and 2011 general elections,” he said.

 

During the meeting only 12 places were selected for the possible consideration as wards and will be amended once government approves of the representation through issuance of statutory instrument.

 

And Kasempa District Acting Council Secretary Nevins Imakando clarified that the Electoral Commission of Zambia will only be able to effect the delimitation of the new wards after the ministry of local government issues a statutory instrument to legalize the new wards.

 

“During this meeting we will only discuss and agree on the new wards for ministry’s consideration and final approval,” he said.