ECZ SHOULD ESTABLISH CENTRES IN MARKETS, STATIONS

ROGERS KALERO writes @SunZambiaTHE electoral commission of Zambia (ECZ) should consider putting up registration centres in bus stations and markets for the convenience of public service drivers and traders, stakeholders have proposed.Copperbelt Taxi and Bus Drivers Association (CTBDA) secretary general Sydney Chileshe said the ECZ should consider establishing near operational areas for drivers and traders.He said this is because drivers and marketeers could not afford to line-up on long queues as they could miss their business targets.Mr Chileshe said the voter registration was taking unnecessarily too long such that people who depended on high turn-over on their small income could not remain on queues.In an interview in Kitwe yesterday, Mr Chileshe said drivers could be de-franchised if the ECZ does not put up registration centres in bus stations and markets.“So with the process taking too long at registration centres, we cannot afford to be in long queues at the ex-pense of feeding our families. The best thing is for the ECZ to consider putting up registration centres in bus stations and markets for our convenience,” Mr Chileshe said.Marketeers at Chisokone market echoed the sentiments and urged the ECZ to heed to the advice from players in the informal sectorJosephine Mwale said it was important for the ECZ to establish registration centres in bus stations and mar-kets.“Registration is taking long and so we can’t afford to line up and spend long hours in queues. We need to sell and make money for our families,” Ms Mwale said.In response, Kitwe District Electoral Officer Mbulo Seke said the concern was genuine and that it had been brought to the attention of the ECZ.“The taxis, bus drivers and marketeers have a genuine concern and that is what we are discussing with the com-mission,” said Mr Seke, who is Kitwe Town Clerk.