Govt asked to forego holding referendum alongside elections

Zambian Voice Executive Director Chilufya Tayali

Government has been advised to forego the holding of the referendum on the Bill of Rights alongside the August 11^th elections.

The Zambian Voice Executive Director Chilufya Tayali says the Country and the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) in particular are not ready to hold a referendum as early as August this year.

Mr. Tayali says his organization has taken note that it is highly unlikely that a census which is a necessity before any referendum will be held between now and August.

He states that even in the event that some other modality is agreed upon in place of a census, such an undertaking would be a big issue in the Country.

Mr. Tayali doubts that political stakeholders would accept any such modality to be used OTHER THAN a census for the sake of rushing the referendum.

He says it is thus advisable that government suspends the holding of the referendum until such a time when the Country is ready to hold one.