Electoral Commission of Zambia
The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) is the autonomous electoral management body for the Republic of Zambia. The ECZ was established in 1996 under article 76 of the Constitution of Zambia.
Powers of the Commission
The Commission has regulatory powers to determine how all the Elections activities run. The Electoral Act No. 24 of 2006 empowers the Commission to make such regulations vis-à-vis, the registration of voters, Presidential and Parliamentary Elections, Elections Offences, Electoral Code of Conduct and Penalties, Elections petitions and the hearing and determination of applications relating to Parliament.
Composition
Electoral Commission Act 24 of 1996 provides for the composition of Electoral Commission and its operations. The Commission consist of a Chairperson and not more than four other members appointed by the President, subject to ratification by the National Assembly (Section 4 (1) (b)), for a term not exceeding Seven years. In addition, it sets out the circumstances under which the President may remove a member of the Commission.
The Chairperson of the Commission shall be a person who has held, or qualified to hold high judicial office or any other suitably qualified person.
Where as the Chairman and members of the Commission constitute the policy making body, the Electoral Commission Act 24 provides for the Commission to appoint a Director who is the Chief Executive Officer of the Commission and is responsible for:
- Management and Administration of the Commission and;
- Implementation of the decisions of the Commission.
The Director is assisted by such staff as the Commission appoints by statutory instrument on such terms and conditions as the Commission determines.
