European Union Pressurizes IEBC to Make Public Election Papers

The European Union has asked the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to make public all result forms on the disputed presidential election.

EU’s Election Observation Mission (EOM) joined the list of other stakeholders pressurizing the Electoral Commission to make all the documents open for public scrutiny.

EU chief observer Marietja Schaake in a statement argued that making the crucial forms public would further eliminate doubts of the credibility of the election held on August 8th.

“The availability of result forms at all levels enables trust by allowing all stakeholders to have confidence in and insight into the totals announced. The EU EOM therefore calls on the IEBC to continue to publish all results forms online promptly,” said Ms Schaake.

The calls by different stakeholders to have the forms made public come on the backdrop of an admission by IEBC that it would not immediately furnish the Opposition with 40,883 form 34As.

“The commission is in a position to provide all the requested form 34Bs immediately. We are, however, not able to provide all form 34As at the moment but the same shall be availed to you as soon as possible,” said IEBC Chief Executive Officer Ezra Chiloba in response to NASA’s demands.

“Online availability of the 34B forms, as well as the remaining 34A forms – containing individual polling station results – would enable all stakeholders to examine the accuracy of the announced results and point to any possible anomalies,” said EU in a statement on Wednesday.

The EU further expressed its concerns over cases of violence and deaths that were witnessed following the declaration of the results last Friday.

The mission also castigated the State over its crackdown on key non-governmental organizations, saying that the civil society remain key to growth of democracy in the country.