Wrongly dated voters’ cards valid

The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has refuted online media reports suggesting that holders of voters cards recently replaced with wrong dates will be disenfranchised in the Presidential Election on January 20, 2015.

 

The Commission however admitted that 430 replacement cards were found with errors and attributed the wrong dates on the voter’s cards to clerical errors that occurred at only two centres at Mushindano School in Solwezi East Constituency and the Community Development Centre in Solwezi Central.

 

In a statement issued to ZANIS in Lusaka today, ECZ Public Relations Manager Crispin Akufuna said the mistake has since been corrected.

 

Mr Akufuna said the holders of the affected cards will be allowed to exercise their constitutional right to vote in the fourth-coming presidential election.

 

He clarified that the wrong date on the voter’s cards does not invalidate the cards and assured the nation that the affected voters will not be disenfranchised.

 

Mr Akufuna disclosed that ECZ has since directed the District Electoral Officer in Solwezi to ensure that poll staff allows the holders of wrongly dated replaced cards to vote during the presidential election as the cards are valid.