VZCZCXRO6777
RR RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHLS #1269/01 2620453
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 190453Z SEP 06
FM AMEMBASSY LUSAKA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3181
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 LUSAKA 001269 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PGOV ZA
SUBJECT: Electoral Commission Says It Is Prepared for National 
Polls 
 
Refs: A. Lusaka 702, B. Lusaka 674, C. Lusaka 535 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1. (SBU) The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) is confident that 
it will be fully prepared to conduct Zambia's tripartite elections 
on September 28, according to ECZ Chairperson Justice Irene 
Mambilima.  The ECZ is in the process of packing ballots for 
distribution and expects all polling stations to have ballots by 
September 26.  The ECZ is aware of violations of the electoral code 
of conduct, including reports that traditional leaders are exerting 
improper influence on their subjects, that many electoral complaints 
are being overlooked, and that media coverage of political parties 
has been unequal.  Justice Mambilima is particularly concerned about 
unfair media coverage and has spoken with media leaders and the 
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting about the need for balanced 
coverage.  Cooperating partners agree that the ECZ has done a 
commendable job of preparing for the September 28 election. 
However, the Commission has been limited by a weak electoral law. 
End Summary. 
 
Ballots to Polling Stations 
--------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) In a September 14 briefing for Chiefs of donor Missions, 
Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) Chairperson Justice Irene 
Mambilima said that she is confident that the ECZ will be prepared 
to conduct Zambia's tripartite elections, scheduled for September 
¶28.  The ECZ is pleased with the progress of ballot printing, which 
is ongoing in Durban, South Africa, Justice Mambilima said.  The 
printing of the presidential ballots was completed last week. 
Ballots began arriving in Lusaka on September 9, together with 
ballots for parliamentary candidates in five provinces.  The 
remaining parliamentary ballots, as well as the ballots for local 
elections, arrived in Zambia on September 16.  The ECZ is in the 
process of packing the ballots and will begin delivering them to 
districts on September 22 using ECZ vehicles.   District electoral 
officers will then distribute the ballots to polling stations.  All 
polling stations should have the ballots by September 26, the 
Justice said. 
 
Electoral Code Violations 
------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) Donors raised concerns regarding the conduct of election 
campaigns, including the undue influence some traditional leaders 
appear to be exerting on their subjects, reports that many minor 
electoral malpractices are overlooked, and that media coverage is 
not always fair or balanced.  Justice Mambilima said she was aware 
of these problems and stressed that traditional leaders should 
remain neutral with regard to candidates and should not attempt to 
influence their subjects.  Leaders who are trying to influence their 
subjects should be counseled, the Justice suggested, noting that 
local conflict resolution committees could also play a role in the 
process.  The ECZ will also raise the subject of traditional 
leaders' influence with the media, in order to educate leaders as 
well as their subjects.  She also noted that ongoing voter education 
efforts should raise the awareness of subjects regarding their 
rights as voters. 
 
¶4. (SBU) The ECZ has received many complaints involving minor cases 
of electoral malpractice, Justice Mambilima acknowledged.  In most 
cases, the ECZ calls in violators to counsel them on the electoral 
law and code of conduct.  Conflict resolution committees also 
receive complaints, which are resolved through counseling.  In some 
cases, electoral violations are reported directly to the police or 
to the Anti-Corruption Commission.  The ECZ does not know how many 
cases have been investigated by these law enforcement agencies. 
 
Unbalanced Media Coverage 
------------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) Media coverage of political parties and campaigns is a 
"real concern," the Justice said, noting in particular that 
unbalanced television coverage on the state-owned Zambia National 
Broadcasting Company (ZNBC) has been an ongoing problem.  Justice 
Mambilima recently spoke with ZNBC management to tell them that 
their coverage of the elections was "totally unacceptable" and that 
it could not continue.  The Justice said that she also called other 
media leaders to explain the law and their obligation under the 
electoral code of conduct to provide fair and balanced coverage.  To 
allow the ECZ to evaluate compliance with the law, Justice Mambilima 
asked the media outlets to maintain records of their news items and 
programming. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Justice Mambilima noted that the Ministry of Information 
and Broadcasting (MIB) exerts considerable influence over ZNBC and 
speculated that problems with unfair coverage at ZNBC might be 
originating at the MIB.  The Justice said that she expressed her 
 
LUSAKA 00001269  002 OF 002 
 
 
concerns about unfair media coverage to senior officials at the 
Ministry, including Permanent Secretary Emmanuel Nyirenda.  If ZNBC 
did not begin providing more equitable coverage, the ECZ would ask 
for limits to be placed on the time the station could devote to 
covering the ruling Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD).  She 
noted that ZNBC has the equipment it needs to cover all of the 
political parties and has no excuses for not doing so.  The ECZ will 
monitor media coverage to ensure compliance with the law, the 
Justice emphasized.  She admitted that the ECZ did not have the 
ability to monitor all community radio station programs, but was 
using community radio as part of its efforts to educate voters in 
remote areas. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) Cooperating partners were uniform in their praise for 
Justice Mambilima and her staff at the ECZ, who have gone to great 
lengths to ensure that the ECZ is prepared for the vote and does not 
repeat the mistakes of the 2001 election.  Even though the ECZ has 
done good work, Justice Mambilima's comments revealed that the 
Commission's effectiveness has been limited by the weak electoral 
reform bill signed by the president in May 2006 (Refs A-C).  In its 
final report submitted to government in August 2005, the Electoral 
Reform Technical Committee (ERTC) anticipated many of the problems 
acknowledged by Justice Mambilima.  The government has not complied 
with the ERTC recommendations that it fully implement the 
Independent Broadcast Authority (IBA) Act and the Zambia National 
Broadcasting Corporation Act to ensure equitable access to the media 
by all political parties.  In the case of the IBA, the government is 
appealing a court order holding it in contempt for its refusal to 
submit to parliament a list of independent board members compiled by 
media bodies in accordance with the IBA Act.  The government has 
also failed to act on the ERTC recommendation that it amend other 
election-related legislation to provide law enforcement agencies, 
such as the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), with a clear mandate 
regarding their role in the electoral process. 
 
PASSEN