the chair of the Commonwealth Observer Group, arrived at the Andrew Mwenye polling station in Lusaka ahead of the opening at 6am, in order to observe hundreds of thousands of Zambians voting in the country’s sixth multi-party general elections. “It is heart-warming to see Zambians coming out to vote in such great numbers despite the COVID-19 pandemic, to decide who runs their country,” he said. “We are here to support them in this exercise which will help strengthen their democracy, and we are here to assure them that as a valued member, the Commonwealth stands in solidarity with them as they cast their votes.”
The Commonwealth Observer Group arrived in Lusaka a week ago in preparation for the elections, and were later deployed to polling stations to observe pre-poll preparations, voting day and result processes. Explaining the role played by the group at the event, Kikwete said: “Our mandate is to observe and evaluate the pre-election environment, polling day activities and the post-election period against the backdrop of Zambia’s national legislation and regulations, as well as regional and international commitments. We will then report on whether the elections have been conducted in accordance with the standards to which Zambia has committed itself, including its own laws.”
This year, sixteen candidates, including one female candidate, are…
