. Schultz
By PERPETUAL SICHIKWENKWE –
THE United States of America (USA) has given Zambia about US$1.6 million (K9.6 million) for the January 20, 2015 Presidential elections.
US ambassador to Zambia Eric Schultz said the money would go to the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) for the monitoring of elections.
“The US has a basket fund which gives direct support, some of it will go towards next year’s elections in Zambia,” Mr Schultz said.
Mr Schultz said when he met Zambia’s Acting President Guy Scott at Government House yesterday that Zambia had a tradition of holding free and fair elections.
As such, the international community was looking forward to seeing a repeat of free and fair election in next year’s polls.
He said he was looking forward to seeing Zambia hold free and fair election as had been the case in his country.
Mr Schultz said that the US government would provide both financial and material contribution towards the January 20, 2015 elections.
He said although the US would not deploy American monitors, its embassy in Zambia with the international community would dispatch a team of 20 monitors around the country to observe the elections.
Dr Scott called on Zambians to turn up in numbers and vote for a leader of their choice in the Presidential election.
The Acting President said Zambia is a democratic nation, a reputation that citizens should maintain by voting peacefully.
He urged the electorate to vote wisely and hold candidates accountable for their campaign promises.
“Think carefully on what you are trying to achieve when you vote and by all means go and vote,” Dr Scott said.
He said the long time that had passed without registering voters by the Electoral Commission of Zambia and the moving of voters from places they registered to vote would be some of the factors that would push a low voter turn out next year.
On political violence, Dr Scott said what was currently happening in the country was getting a little bit out of hand but he has happy that the police were working round the clock to put the situation under control.
