By STEVEN ZANDE

. ISAACS

THE Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has said it will not accept interference from stakeholders over the printing of ballot papers for this year’s general elections.
ECZ director Priscilla Isaacs said the electoral body would independently decide on which firm to award the tender to print ballot papers through a transparent tender process.
Ms Isaacs was speaking when she featured on the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC)’s programme, the Sunday Interview.
She said the electoral body would not achieve consensus if it consulted stakeholders on which country was appropriate to print ballot papers.
“Nobody has a right to direct ECZ’s operations. We will listen and make independent decisions. ECZ will not reach consensus if it consults all stakeholders,” Ms Isaacs said.
She said some stakeholders had an interest in the tendering of a firm that had complained in the past when the ECZ decided to print ballot papers in South Africa.
Ms Isaacs said stakeholders should trust the ability of the electoral body to conduct a credible tender process to select the firm to print ballot papers.
She also said ECZ would soon start education campaigns with a view to helping citizens understand the Bill of Rights which would be voted for in a referendum alongside the general elections this year.
Ms Isaacs said the short time available demanded a proactive sensitisation programme that would involve education programmes on community, public and private radio and television stations in order to carry a more effective message on the referendum.
She said the money for the education campaigns had been included in the budget, which would be funded by the Zambian and US governments.
Ms Isaacs said political parties, Church mother bodies and civil society organisations should also help in sensitising the public.