Vice President Mutale Nalumango has defended the integrity of the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ), describing calls for the removal of commissioners as unfounded and politically motivated.
Responding to a question in Parliament on whether the current commissioners some of whom are accused of being aligned with the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) should be removed, Ms. Nalumango has dismissed the claims and said commissioners must be judged by their conduct, not perceived political affiliations.
“Is the ECZ doing well? I think they are,” she said. “I don’t know any UPND commissioner that deserves to be removed.”
She said while every Zambian may have political preferences, public office demands impartiality.
“In Zambia, we all have an inclination to a political party, but the offices we occupy compel us to act in a non-partisan manner,” she said. “When someone becomes a commissioner, their conscience should lead them to serve above political interests.”
She has underscored that allegations of partisanship have persisted “through and through,” regardless of the administration in power. However, she called for respect for constitutional institutions, warning that political labeling undermines public trust.
And the Vice President also addressed a separate concern raised in the House regarding the circulation of pornographic materials involving minors on social media platforms, despite the enactment of the Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes Act.
Responding to a question from Itezhi-Tezhi Twaambo Mutinta, who expressed worry over increasing reports of teenagers particularly girls engaged in explicit online behavior, Ms. Nalumango said the issue was not just legal, but moral and parental.
“These are our children,” she said. “Yes, the President has spoken about upholding national values and Christian principles, but those values start in the home.”
She said the trend of young people sharing explicit videos points to a breakdown in parenting and called on families to instill moral discipline and accountability from an early age.
“We may not have watched these videos, but we’ve heard. Some parents are reportedly leaving their children vulnerable, thinking they are in safe homes,” she lamented. “It’s sad.”
While acknowledging external influences and peer pressure, Ms. Nalumango stressed that parental guidance remains central.
“The love of money is another evil drawing our children into this,” she said. “Pornography should never become a business in Zambia.”
She urged all Zambians to take personal and collective responsibility to preserve the country’s moral fabric.
“We must all act. It starts with each family. One family can influence a community positively or negatively,” she said. “It’s a painful reality, but we cannot shy away from it.”
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Mwangala Zaloumis and Macdonald Chipenzi should go. Enough is enough.