By CHARITY MOONGA and CATHERINE NYIRENDA and DELPHINE ZULU –

THE Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has said voting in some parts of the country had been delayed due to bad conditions that prevented delivery of election materials on time.
ECZ director of elections Priscilla Isaacs, however, expressed satisfaction with the turnout of voters in the early hours of voting in most parts of the country yesterday despite the heavy rains.
During the 16 hours briefing Ms Isaacs said the number of polling stations that needed to be serviced by ZAF in Mafinga increased from 20 to 29 and only six received their materials by press time yesterday.
In Lukulu, the last polling station was serviced yesterday in the morning and voting immediately commenced, while in Mutimbi polling station voting started at 11:25 hour yesterday morning and was closed 23:00.
In Mitete five polling stations remained to be serviced by sixteen hours, while deployment of staff in Limulunga was underway by press time.
In Petauke, nine polling stations had not received materials, as well as Chama North and Chama South, where 16 polling stations had not received materials.
In Kaputa, three polling stations were not, while in Chibombo deployment of personnel had been completed.
Ms Isaacs also confirmed that a person had been arrested in one of the polling station in Serenje for trying to vote twice.
Earlier at the 10:30 briefing at the results centre, Ms Isaacs said the vehicle delivering the election materials in Chibombo got stuck in mud because of bad weather.
The ballots arrived late because of bad weather, inadequate choppers. The available choppers needed to be serviced and pilots rested.
All polling stations which opened late would be compensated by extending voting time.
In Choma’s Kwasha polling station, the polling station opened late because some cadres stormed the polling station.
A few cases of citizens who could not vote because they were not appearing on the voters roll were recorded and Ms Isaacs attributed that to failure to verify the names by the concerned citizens.
Ms Isaacs however, commended Zambians for turning out in large numbers to vote and appealed to stakeholders to remain calm until the compilation of results was concluded.
Meanwhile, a police officer in charge of Moyo Police Station in Senanga in Western Province has been arrested for illegally giving local court messengers police uniforms to man certain polling stations.
Police have also arrested six local court messengers while one was from the District Commissioner’s office and were picked on Monday night upon being identified by members of the public.
Western Province Police Chief Lombe Kamukoshi confirmed the arrest in an interview yesterday.
“Actually let me take this opportunity to warn all police officers not to engage themselves in any illegal activities that might put the name of the service in the spotlight especially now when there are several allegations from all angles,” Ms Kamukoshi said.