DON’T SET ZAMBIA ON FIRE
…Opposition warns UPND over 2022 census report
By Tony Nkhoma
ZAMBIAN opposition political parties held a joint press conference in Lusaka Sunday at which they sent a strong warning to the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) that any attempts to play with the 2022 Census Report data has the potential to set the country on fire.
In a rare show of unity, the opposition parties demanded urgent answers from the UPND government on the unfolding crisis surrounding the census report generated by the Zambia Statistics Agency (ZAMSTATS).
Speaking during the conference, United Liberal Party (ULP) president Sakwiba Sikota questioned the motive for the alleged interference in the 2022 Census Report.
He also wanted government to explain dark corner meetings at State House involving President Hakainde Hichilema, Public Service Commission chairperson Dr Choolwe Beyani and other senior officials where the report was discussed.
Sikota, who is also United Kwacha Alliance (UKA) chairperson and convener of the press conference, said failure by government to respond to the opposition political parties’ serious concerns might result in unrest and civil disobedience in the country.
“The attempt by the UPND government to manipulate the 2020 Census Report and the crisis that surrounds the report is an issue that will run up to the 2026 general elections. Failure by the government to attend to it, the logical conclusion will be civil disobedience, seeking court orders among many thoughts,” Sikota said.
He said the unfolding crisis surrounding the 2022 census data arising from an attempt by the UPND to manipulate it was not standard and raised grave concerns among stakeholders.
Socialist Party (SP) president Dr Fred M’membe said government should quickly respond to the questions raised by the opposition, which had been necessitated by its spontaneous attacks on the 2022 Census Report.
Dr M’membe said the answers the opposition political parties were seeking from government had the potential to build or erode public trust and seriously affect the integrity and credibility of the 2026 general elections.
He implored government to adequately respond to the questions posed by opposition political parties with sobriety and seriousness.
“We don’t want to see Zambia burning come next year owing to potentially manipulated census and electoral data. One way of preventing such a possibility is for the government to show transparency in its conduct and engagements with the citizens,” Dr M’membe said.
He said elections of any country were based on authentic data and statistics.
Elections were an important tool in maintaining the stability of the country.
Dr M’membe said any attempts by the current government to deflate population statistics would distort national planning and disturb development as more resources would be allocated to areas where numbers were manipulated.
He said previous governments in Zambia had not done much to manipulate the census statistics as the UPND was allegedly trying to do.
Doing so might trigger fire in the country.
Zambia We Want acting president Ernest Mwansa said government’s undermining of the legitimate 2020 Census conducted by ZAMSTATS undermines the basis of the 2026 general elections.
Mwansa said it was shameful that government leaders were disputing the same document they had produced.
He said the 2022 Census Report should not be undermined as it raised questions on the integrity and independence of ZAMSTATS and questioned the credibility of any future elections.
On February 25, Civil Service Commission chairperson Dr Choolwe Beyani engaged in a bitter verbal exchange with ZAMSTATS board chairperson Oliver Chinganya over the revised 2022 Census Summary Report at Mulungushi International Coference Centre (MICC).
Dr Beyani alleged that ZAMSTATS had ignored President Hakainde Hichilema’s directive by failing to address some discrepancies in 15 wards in Southern Province, rendering their report illegal null and void.
He said the report had anomalies which needed to be rectified before dissemination.
But Chinganya defended the revised report saying it had been put together by a team of experienced professionals whose integrity could not be doubted.
