11 October 2008
PRESIDENTIAL candidates in the October 30 elections have rejected the decision by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to print 600,000 extra ballot papers.
Patriotic Front (PF) leader, Michael Sata, United Party for National Development (UPND) president, Hakainde Hichilema, Heritage Party president, Godfrey Miyanda and acting Republican president, Rupiah Banda's agent, Benny Tetamashimba, separately said there was no need to have extra ballots.
Mr Banda could not attend the meeting as he is in Luapula Province to commission the Levy Mwanawasa bridge.
Mr Sata said there was no way the commission could print 600,000 extra ballots saying that the ballot papers should be equivalent to number of registered voters.
Speaking on behalf of Mr Banda, Mr Tetamashimba, whose team comprised MMD acting chairman, Kabinga Pande and party chairman for elections, Mike Mulongoti said that the MMD did not support the printing of extra ballot papers.
"As agents for RB, we feel the ballot papers should be equal to the number of registered voters. We don't need extra 50 ballot papers per polling station," he said.
He said there was no need for printing extra ballot papers, when in the past, there was a record of apathy during the elections that would mean that more would remain.
Mr Hichilema also said the ECZ should not print extra ballots, which did not tally the number of registered voters.
"We have rejected them (extra ballots), we don't need them," he said.
Gen Miyanda said he was of the view that the issue on extra ballots should be discussed when the actual ballots were in the country so that they could debate on facts.
The leaders that attended the meeting, however, described it as having been generally a success but emphasised that there was need to address the issue of the ballot papers and other outstanding ones.
Mr Sata said the discussions were cordial and commended ECZ chairperson, Justice Florence Mumba, for operating in a transparent manner adding that all the staff at the ECZ should support Justice Mumba in order to improve its operations.
"Otherwise the meeting was very fruitful. She (Justice Mumba) is going in the right direction and needs our support and protection," he said.
Mr Sata, however, called on ECZ director, Dan Kalele, to be more transparent in the manner he was running the institution.
He also accused the Zambian National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) for practicing unbalanced reporting during the campaigns.
Mr Tetamshimba said the meeting was successful but another one would be held on Wednesday to conclude the matter on the extra ballot papers.
Mr Hichilema described the meeting as reasonable as several issues had been raised.
He said some of the issues discussed were the alleged reports that the MMD was using resources to manipulate the electoral process.
He also said the other issue discussed was access to the media where it was noted that ZNBC was not giving a fair coverage top all the candidates.
Brigadier General Miyanda said he would have loved Mr Banda to attend the meeting so that he could respond to certain issues.
Asked on his campaigns, Gen Miyanda said there were many ways of killing a rat.
" There are many ways of killing a rat. Why did you not cover me in Kabwe or Kapiri Mposhi," he said in response to a question as to why was he is not going out in rural areas to campaign.
He said some of his opponents managed to charter planes but he was still confident that he would go to as many places to campaign.
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