By JAMES KUNDA –
THE ongoing mobile issuance of National Registration Cards (NRC’s) will be extended for five days in some parts of Southern Province to cater for residents that were disenfranchised due to lack of materials.

. Mwila

Home Affairs Minister Davies Mwila told Parliament in a ministerial statement yesterday that the exercise would be extended in Monze and Kalomo where some polling stations ran out of materials to issue the cards.
The affected polling stations in Monze were Katimbo and Kazungula while Kalamo experienced challenges at Ikumbi, Mulamfu and Mabombo centers.
Mr Mwila said this in response to a point of order raised by UPND Monze Central Member of Parliament (MP) Jack Mwiimbu who accused Government of disenfranchising residents in the province.
“I acknowledge that there was shortage of materials in the mentioned polling stations as the field vehicles developed mechanical problems which took five days to rectify.
“To make up for the lost five days, the mobile issuance of NRCs has been extended in the affected stations,” he said.
He stated that Government did not discriminate anyone in the issuance of NRCs as the documents were of prime importance to every eligible Zambian.
He said Southern Province was supplied with 144,000 blank green NRC’s since August to service a target of 80,000 people.
“By November 1, the province had registered 113, 492 people against the 144,000 blank cards supplied.
“The figures show that the Province has a balance of about 30,508 blank cards,” he said.
Mr Mwila urged MPs not to politicise the matter and engage his office on matters pertaining to delays in the exercise.
Meanwhile, Speaker of the National Assembly Patrick Matibini has directed General Education Minister John Phiri to issue a ministerial statement over the challenges experienced by grade nine pupils during the Information Communication Technology (ICT) final examination.