Sanday Chongo Kabange, AfricaNews reporter in Lusaka, Zambia Photo: Michael Sata
Zambia has moved a step higher in its democratic system by introducing the use of biometric data to identify missing voter registration cards for the upcoming presidential elections in October 30th. The election follows the death of president Levy Mwanawasa at Percy Military Hospital in Paris.
The electoral commission of Zambia (ECZ) has already established a permanent register, capturing biometric data from voters in the form of fingerprints, the ECZ’s deputy director of IT, Brown Kasaro, said in an interview.
Fingerprints were collected prior to the 2006 general election, uncovering thousands of duplicate registrations, Kasaro said. Individuals were using multiple National Registrations Cards bearing different names, "either lack of ignorance or just out of wanting to cheat," he added.
Despite arguments by opposing political parties in the 2006 elections, Kasaro also revealed that the ECZ will use computers and fax machines to manage results for the upcoming election. To overcome fears of computer error, the ECZ intends to hold a series of meetings with political parties on the process, according to IDG News Service.
The ECZ hopes to tabulate results at the Mulungushi International Conference Center, Kasaro said, with the Zambian National Broadcasting Corporation airing the proceedings live. The commission will also use GIS (geographical information system) technology to produce maps in delineating each constituency prior to the election.
However, Zambia Media Women Association coordinator Emelda Yumbe expressed her fears in an interview that computers may be used to manipulate results and rig the election, noting most Zambians are not computer literate.
