POSTPONE ELECTIONS TO OCTOBER- KATEKA

By SIMON MUNTEMBA THE general elections should be postponed to October this year owing to the raging Covid-19 pandemic, New Heritage Party President Chishala Kateka has said. Ms Kateka said in an interview that the rising cases of Covid-19 and deaths should not be ignored because it would affect voter turnout in elections which would …

POSTPONE ELECTIONS TO OCTOBER- KATEKA
By SIMON MUNTEMBA THE general elections should be postponed to October this year owing to the raging Covid-19 pandemic, New Heritage Party President Chishala Kateka has said. Ms Kateka said in an interview that the rising cases of Covid-19 and deaths should not be ignored because it would affect voter turnout in elections which would be held next month. She said under Article 81 (2), with a mere simple majority, an emergency meeting of the National Assembly could vote to postpone the holding of a general election for not more than 12 months when the Republic is at war. Ms Kateka, who is one of the Presidential candidates, said the country was at war against Covid-19 and there was need to protect the citizens from the pandemic. She expressed concern that the Covid-19 pandemic would make it difficult for the election period to go smoothly. “At this time of the year when it is cold, Covid-19 seems to spread faster than when it is hot. This time around, even door to door campaigning is risky because even those visiting our homes might be positive. “Therefore, if we really value the lives of Zambians, I know that it is in the constitution but laws are not made for man, so laws can be changed when there is a situation like this one, which is quite dangerous for the people of Zambia. “We are now saying postpone it just up to October when it is warmer and less dangerous,” Ms Kateka said. She said the Covid-19 situation would lead to voter apathy.