ECZ Meets The Public

The month of April saw the Commission conduct a series of Public Forums in eight (8) provincial centres, in order to engage stakeholders in the electoral process and carry out dialogues on issues relating to the conduct of elections in Zambia.

In a speech read on his behalf by ECZ Director Electoral Operations, Ms. Chana Kaunda Zambezi at the Kitwe edition of Public Forums on 17th April, 2018, ECZ Chief Electoral Officer, Mr Chomba Chella said that Public Forums had been identified as an effective method of engaging the general public.

“The Public Forums will provide a productive platform for voter education where the public can interact with the Commission and ask questions that provide feedback and advice on the operations of the Commission.”

Speaking at the same event, Public Relations Manager, Ms. Margaret Chimanse told the audience that the Public Forums were a response to the recommendations of the 2016-2021 ECZ Strategic Plan, the ECZ Communication Strategy and the P.R Department Election Review report, which encourage engagement with the public as key stakeholders in the electoral process.

“The Commission’s Stakeholder engagement activities will increase the visibility of the Commission by making the Commission accessible to the public outside of election period, increase awareness and effective participation of stakeholders in the electoral process, enhance stakeholder confidence in the electoral process and improve internal processes to meet Stakeholder expectations” said Ms. Chimanse.

The forums were attended by over one thousand ECZ stakeholders consisting the clergy, media, political parties, traditional leaders and the general public. In addition to this, the discussions were broadcast live on various local radio stations and social media platforms such as Facebook. The live broadcasts broadened the reach of the forums beyond the physical attendance and reached audiences in specific communities and social media followers all over the world.

Participation in the forums was encouraged through mobile publicity campaigns conducted by ZANIS in the communities where the public forums were being held.

The Public Forums provide the Commission an opportunity to go out to the public and increase its visibility, awareness of the electoral process, thereby enhancing stakeholder confidence and improving internal processes to meet stakeholder needs.

Public dialogues have so far been held in Chinsali, Mongu, Chipata, Choma, Kasama,, Mansa, Kitwe and Solwezi. The last two forums will be held in Kabwe and Lusaka respectively to give an opportunity for people in these areas to interact and engage with the Commission.