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The Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) firmly believes that a free, fair and credible election is indispensable to any democracy. In preparation for the general election, FODEP has been conducting training of trainers of citizen election monitors in all the 10 provinces and so far, has trained 105 trainers of citizen election monitors across six provinces in Zambia. The training programme has been concluded in Lusaka, Western, Central, Muchinga, Eastern and Luapula provinces.
To ensure representation, participants in the training of trainers programme are drawn from districts and constituencies across the 10 provinces of Zambia. FODEP plans to deploy a total of 5,000 citizen election monitors in 96 constituencies spread across all the 10 provinces of Zambia during the August 11, 2016 general elections.
We are confident that our monitor will be adequately equipped to watch the poll, as they have gone through an intensive training programme. The training programme covered the following core themes: democracy, elections and the electoral cycle, the foundation of an electoral process, free and fair elections and benchmarks or standards for democratic elections. Other topics included, constitutional, legal and institutional frameworks for general elections and constitutional referendum in Zambia, code of conduct for non-partisan citizen observers and the introduction to the theory and practice of election observation.
There is no doubt that the forthcoming general election has potential to be controversial, given the divergence of opinion on many issues by stakeholders. We therefore believe FODEP’s presence at polling stations may minimize fraud and ensure that electoral official act according to the law. This is cardinal to safeguard the will of the people and ensure that the outcome of the elction is acceptable to all stakeholders.
FODEP wishes to reiterate its call on the ECZ to address concerns of stakeholders, to act independently so as to ensure a free, fair and credible election in August. On our part we will play our part as electoral watchdogs and point out any anomalies we will encounter in the electoral process without any fear or favour in the interest of our democracy.
Issued By:
Foundation For Democratic Process
30th June, 2016
