Claim
On 19th July 2021, Daily Revelation online publication reported that the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) were engaging the Patriotic Front (PF) over complaints against President Lungu’s gathering of huge crowds in Mtendere and Bauleni compounds. Democratic Party leader, who is also the party’s Presidential election candidate, Harry Kalaba complained to the ECZ through his national secretary Precious Ntambu that President Lungu’s gathering of huge crowds in Mtendere and Bauleni violated the ECZ’s instructions for all political parties to uphold COVID-19 protocols. According to the Daily Revelation, the ECZ responded to the complaint through its Corporate Affairs Manager Patricia Luhanga who indicated that they were engaging the PF over the matter.
Rating Justification
The iVerify fact checking process has established true the claim in that the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) will engage the Patriotic Front party over the complaint submitted by the Democratic Party concerning President Lungu’s gathering of huge crowds in Mtendere and Bauleni. In a live video posted on 9 July, 2021, Mwebantu online media, showed President Edgar Lungu touring Mtendere and Bauleni areas. In the video he was handing out face masks to the huge crowds that gathered around him. The iVerify Fact Checking team confirmed the content of the story with Patson Chilemba, the Editor of Daily Revelation. Mr Chilemba informed the iVerify team that his coverage of the issue was based on a press query he made to ECZ Cooperate Affairs Manager Ms. Patricia Luhanga over the complaint that was lodged by Democratic Party to ECZ. In addition, Ms. Partricia Luhanga confirmed with the fact checking team in a phone call that ECZ received a complaint from the Democratic Party and ECZ will engage the Patriotic Front Party. However, she clarified and emphasized that the engagement will be with the PF party and not the President of Zambia. Ms. Luhanga shared a copy of the signed complaint letter that was sent to ECZ by the Democratic Party.
