Good turn-out characterises card exercise

The voters card replacement exercise
closed on a high note in Kaputa district with one centre registering about 600
people.

Kaputa district had opened four centres where the replacement of
voter’s cards was being conducted.

A random check conducted by ZANIS at two of the four centres found
people rushing to have their cards replaced before the exercise closed
at 17:00 hours yesterday.

An official at one of the centres said there was a good turnout of
people adding that they were registering an average of 100 people per day.

The card replacement exercise started countrywide last Sunday and ended yesterday with ECZ maintaining that there will be no extension despite rumours calls from the people.

Meanwhile, Benard Musepa a registered voter has thanked the Electoral
Commission of Zambia (ECZ) and the Zambia Police for waiving fees for police
reports when replacing the cards.

He noted that the replacement of the cards was simple and was done
within 5 minutes making it convenient for everyone.

Mr. Musepa has since declared his readiness to take part in the
January 15 polls.

Meanwhile, some voters from Kasongole station who lost their voters
cards have complained that they will be disenfranchised as they did not
replace their cards.

The voters said the centre where the replacement of the cards was
being conducted was far from their area and this made it difficult for
them to have their cards replaced.

They said their area is about 30 kilo meters from the nearest centre in
Nkosha or Kaputa boma where the replacement of cards was conducted.

They have since advised the ECZ to be encompassing mobile registration
centres whenever such exercises are taking place to avoid disadvantaging
people.

And a number of people in Kaputa have hailed the campaigns for this
month’s presidential election describing them as peaceful and incident free.

James Kalumba a Kaputa resident said supporters of various political
parties are conducting peaceful campaigns adding that it was good so far.

The ECZ had started the exercise to replace the voter’s cards on
Sunday and the exercise came to an end yesterday ahead of January 20th
Presidential election.