VZCZCXRO6109
RR RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHLS #1349/01 2750459
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 020459Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY LUSAKA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3254
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 LUSAKA 001349 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PGOV ZA
SUBJECT: Zambia Election Observers' Observations 
 
Ref: A. Lusaka 1340 B. Lusaka 1334 
 
Summary 
----------- 
 
¶1. (SBU) Zambia's September 28 tripartite elections were generally 
conducted in an orderly and peaceful manner, in the view of Embassy 
observer teams, which coordinated with observers from six other 
missions to observe the vote in 342 polling stations in eight of 
Zambia's nine provinces.  Observers did not witness or hear of any 
violence associated with the vote and all reported that polling went 
smoothly, despite long queues early in the day due to high voter 
turnout, estimated at between 70 and 80 percent.  The Electoral 
Commission of Zambia (ECZ) appeared to be well prepared for the 
vote.  Almost all polling stations were fully staffed and supplied 
with all required materials at the open of voting, though some 
stations opened late - usually not more than 30-60 minutes.  The EU 
International Observer Mission to Zambia also concluded that the 
"elections have so far been conducted peacefully and have been 
managed by the ECZ in a largely professional manner."  Despite the 
apparent success of the vote, it is likely that losing political 
parties will question the results of what may be a close election, 
fueling the lingering skepticism with which many Zambians view the 
electoral process. 
 
Embassy Observer Teams 
---------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) On September 28, Embassy deployed 13 teams, comprised of 
American and Zambian personnel, including Ambassador, to observe 
Zambia's tripartite elections.  Embassy observation teams 
coordinated with 21 other observer teams consisting of staff members 
of six other missions (Canada, France, Japan, the Netherlands, 
Norway and the United Kingdom) to observe the vote in eight of 
Zambia's nine provinces.  The Embassy observer teams visited 172 
polling stations in seven of Zambia's nine provinces.  Together with 
the teams from other missions, a total of 342 polling stations were 
observed in eight provinces.  All the observer teams used uniform 
checklists to record their findings, summarized below. 
 
Orderly and Peaceful Vote 
------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) All observer reports indicated that the elections were 
generally conducted in an orderly and peaceful manner. No violence 
was reported in any of the polling stations observed. Voter turnout 
was estimated at between 70 and 80 percent of registered voters at 
most polling stations and most voters arrived at the polls early, 
leading to long queues in the morning hours.  In a number of larger 
stations, alphabetically-divided polling "streams," which were used 
for the first time in this election, were not properly signposted or 
organized, leading to substantial voter confusion.  Some teams 
reported waiting times at individual stations of between three and 
five hours. However, by noon waiting times at many polling stations 
had been substantially reduced. 
 
No Undue Influence 
------------------ 
 
¶4. (SBU) The observer teams assessed the polling as free from 
intimidation or undue influence.  Observers saw no signs of 
campaigning in the vicinity of 95 percent of the polling stations 
observed.  Police officers were deployed at all of the polling 
stations observed and their behavior was rated as appropriate on 99 
percent of the checklists submitted.  A few teams observed that the 
secrecy of ballots was not always maintained as voters did not fold 
their marked ballot papers before casting them. 
 
Supply Problems 
--------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) Polling stations were well-staffed and monitored but more 
than half (51 percent) of those observed opened late, usually due to 
the late arrival of supplies.  After opening, observed polling 
stations were stocked with necessary materials and ballot papers in 
nearly all cases.  Every polling station observed had copies of the 
appropriate voters register and 99.7 percent had ballot papers. 
These items were delivered before the opening of polls at 94 percent 
of polling stations visited. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Some polling stations did not have the required official 
stamps, delaying the start of voting.  Ink pens to mark voters' 
thumbs in some cases dried out quickly.  In cases where material was 
missing or inadequate, teams noted that presiding officers often 
improvised with the approval of party agents and NGO monitors 
present.  In one case a presiding officer appeared to have 
overstepped the boundaries of improvisation by having voters sign on 
the back of the ballot in replacement of the (unavailable) official 
mark, thereby undermining the secrecy of the vote. 
 
Polling Stations Staffed and Monitored 
 
LUSAKA 00001349  002 OF 003 
 
 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) All required Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) staff 
were present at 99 percent of polling stations observed. 
Representatives of political parties that fielded candidates were 
also present 99 percent of the polling stations observed.  Civil 
society and non-governmental organization election monitors were 
found in 92 percent of the polling stations observed. 
 
A Few Voters Turned Away 
------------------------ 
 
¶8. (SBU) A number of the observer teams reported that some voters 
who were in possession of the required voters cards and national 
registration cards were not allowed to vote because their names were 
not on the voters register.  The Chief Electoral Officer in Kitwe in 
Copperbelt told Poloff that he was aware of eleven voters who had 
been turned away in two Kitwe constituencies.  The official had been 
able to resolve three of the cases and the voters were allowed to 
cast ballots.  Beyond anecdotal evidence, however, observers were 
not able to get a clear sense of the number of voters turned away at 
the polls, although it is believed to be small.  Polls closed on 
time at 75 percent of the polling stations observed and no person 
waiting to vote at the time polls closed was turned away. 
 
Counting of Ballots 
------------------- 
 
¶9. (SBU) Teams noted that, in some cases, presiding officers seemed 
unsure of the counting procedures, which were not were not followed 
in 12 percent of the poling stations observed.  Presiding officers 
reconciled the numbers of used and unused ballot papers in only 85 
percent of the poll closures observed.  In addition, teams reported 
that in some cases used (counted) ballots were sealed by stream, 
rather than by polling station, and that the "pre-printed envelopes" 
and envelope seals were not used. 
 
¶10. (SBU) Lighting for the counting of votes was also a problem, 
particularly in rural and peri-urban areas.  Often only one 
ECZ-issued, battery powered lantern was available in order to light 
a whole room and this light was sometimes not functioning. 
Candidates, party agents and NGO monitors in a number of polling 
stations (17 percent) did not sign the final result forms, sometimes 
because they had fallen asleep during counting.  Overall teams were 
not convinced that party agents or NGO monitors had a clear sense of 
the prescribed counting procedures.  Objections were raised only in 
a very limited number of cases. 
 
 
European Union Observer Mission 
------------------------------- 
 
¶11. (SBU) In a September 30 briefing, EU Election Observation 
Mission Chief Observer Annemie Neyts assessed that the September 28 
elections "have so far been conducted peacefully and have been 
managed by the ECZ in a largely professional manner."  Neyts said 
that EU observers visited a total of 790 polling stations on 
Election Day and concluded that, despite delays in the start of 
voting in some areas due to the late arrival of essential election 
material, Election Day had gone well.  The vote was conducted in a 
calm and orderly environment, Neyts observed, noting that ECZ 
polling staff followed procedures well and that party agents and 
domestic monitors were present in most polling stations observed. 
The counting of votes was also conducted transparently although the 
counting procedures were unwieldy and complicated, she said. 
 
¶12. (SBU) Noting that long-term EU observers had arrived in Zambia 
on September 5, Neyts complimented the ECZ on its work in the lead 
up to the vote.  The "preparations for the elections were managed in 
a largely professional and transparent manner, she said, adding that 
the independence of the ECZ "added to the public confidence in the 
process, and it was perceived to be a credible and effective 
institution."  Neyts also credited the ECZ voter education program, 
which she said "clearly enjoyed significant investment in resources 
and planning," although the education activities "did not always 
reach the most remote areas of the country."  Civil society 
organizations, which engaged in election monitoring, voter education 
programs and facilitated public debates between candidates, also 
played an "important and positive role during the elections." 
 
¶13. (SBU) Neyts noted several areas of concern.  With regard to the 
electoral law, she said that although the "legal framework provided 
for the conduct of democratic elections ... the ECZ did not always 
adopt timely and clear administrative procedures to facilitate its 
organization of the elections, sometimes resulting in unnecessary 
confusion."  Neyts praised the campaign period before the elections, 
saying that campaigning was peaceful and freedom of assembly was 
largely respected; however she noted that the "lack of transparency 
and accountability in campaign spending, as well as the advantage of 
incumbency, resulted in an uneven playing field for candidates and 
parties."  Neyts also criticized the Zambia National Broadcasting 
 
LUSAKA 00001349  003 OF 003 
 
 
Company (ZNBC) noting that "both in its television and radio 
services ZNBC failed to provide balance between candidates in key 
areas such as news and there was strong bias in favor of the 
(ruling) Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD). 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶14. (SBU) It is too early to conclude that the September 28 
elections were free, fair and reflected the will of the people, 
particularly as the ECZ in Lusaka has yet to receive results from 
many constituencies, especially those in remote rural areas.  At 
this stage in the process, observers can only confirm that Election 
Day was peaceful and that the vote itself was conducted in an 
efficient and transparent manner.  The apparent success of Election 
Day procedures should go a long way towards inspiring confidence in 
the electorate, whatever the outcome of the vote; however, Zambians 
remain highly suspicious of the electoral process in the wake of the 
many irregularities documented in the 2001 elections.  Despite the 
apparent success of the vote, it is likely that political parties 
will question the results of what may be a close election, fueling 
the lingering skepticism with which many Zambians view the electoral 
process. 
MARTINEZ