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The United Kwacha Alliance (UKA) has expressed concerns over the Electoral Commission of Zambia’s (ECZ) decision to proceed with collecting submissions on proposed electoral law reforms, allegedly through an illegally constituted Electoral Reform Technical Committee (ERTC).
In a statement issued on Monday, UKA Spokesperson, Jackson Silavwe, criticised ECZ’s approach, questioning the speed at which the ERTC had convened both provincial and national consultations.
He described the process as “suspicious,” noting it comes soon after President Hakainde Hichilema highlighted constitutional gaps during the recent opening of the 4th Session of the 13th National Assembly.
Silavwe argued that electoral reform falls under the Zambia Law Development Commission (ZLDC) as mandated by the Law Development Commission Act No. 34 of 1996 and advised ECZ to respect this mandate and adhere to Article 229 (2) of the Zambian Constitution.
He called on ECZ to hold a stakeholders’ meeting to foster consensus and ensure the process receives broad support.
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Silavwe further expressed concern over the alleged “speed and haphazard” manner in which the ERTC is gathering input from faith-based organizations, NGOs, political parties and academia.
He stated that ECZ should have directed its concerns regarding Article 52 of the Constitution, particularly around candidate withdrawals and associated financial implications, to the ZLDC instead of forming what he termed an “illegal” ERTC.
Silavwe also noted that the terms of reference for the ERTC were neither clearly defined nor publicly advertised, leaving stakeholders unprepared to submit well-informed contributions.
Without national consensus, he warned, the current reform efforts would ultimately be futile.
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