Zambia: Harry Kalaba calls election reports without implementation useless
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Zambian Observer
Zambian opposition leader Harry Kalaba has asked the European Union election observation mission to ensure its recommendations are implemented, calling reports without effect since 1996 useless. According to him, the mission should force the Zambian authorities to account for electoral reforms, the Zambian Observer reports.
The leader of the Citizens First (CF) party, Harry Kalaba, said he had told the European Union election observation mission that it was "wasting its time" if it did not find concrete ways to get its recommendations implemented, the Zambian Observer reports. He was speaking after a meeting with the observers, amid debate over electoral reforms in Zambia.
Harry Kalaba says he reminded the European observers that they have been publishing reports and making recommendations on the Zambian electoral process since 1996, without many of the concerns raised over the years disappearing. He believes election observation should not stop at the publication of a report and that international observers should push the authorities in charge of reforms to account for them.
His criticism adds to that of the Zambian opposition, which alerted the EU about arrests and the vote on 2 November.
