UPND secretary general Batuke Imenda says his party is confident of winning the polls because it has a verifiable and authentic database of 4.7 million dedicated voters.

And Imenda says additionally, there’s evidence that a significant number of undecided voters have decided to vote for Hakainde Hichilema and the UPND.

In a statement, Tuesday, Imenda said UPND was ready and well equipped with the necessary expertise to emerge victorious in the upcoming general elections.

“After a long and arduous journey from the last election that took place in 2016, we are once again called to duty through our constitutional mandate and obligation to choose our leaders through the democratic process of an election that takes place on 12th August 2021 next week. An election process is a serious and sacred undertaking to every Zambian of voting age, and is one that must not be taken lightly,” he said.

“Not participating in such an important exercise is a breach to the posterity of this nation and the future of our children and their children, and have far-reaching implications for generations to come. We therefore wish to affirm that the UPND is ready and equipped with the necessary expertise and conviction to run in this electoral process and emerge victorious, in line with the people’s unanimous resolve for a change of government, due to the failure of the current leadership for the last 10 years.”

Imenda said the UPND was confident of winning the elections because they had a verifiable and authentic database of 4.7 million dedicated voters.

“Our confidence is derived from the following factors: The UPND has a verifiable and authentic database of 4.7 million dedicated voters that will overwhelm our opponents and carry us into victory to form government. Further, there’s evidence that a significant number of undecided voters have decided to vote for President Hakainde Hichilema and the UPND, after realising the non-viability and disastrous leadership under the PF administration,” he said.

“The UPND has a well-trained crop of committed and patriotic polling agents and election monitors that will cover all the 12,500 polling stations across the Republic. These dedicated men and women will be buoyed by other monitors from legitimate local and international organisations that will ensure that the election exercise will truly meet the aspirations of the voting public and all Zambians. Further to this, we have put in mechanisms that will ensure that the elections meet acceptable international standards.”

He added that the UPND had invested in robust and resilient Parallel Vote Tabulation (PVT) systems.

“The UPND has invested in three very robust and resilient PVT systems that have the capability to transmit results in a harsh environment including an Internet shutdown. The results will be transmitted to five command centres spread across the country. The UPND and all Zambians will defend their vote to the fullest extent of the law and will ensure that the managers of the elections in this case the ECZ, delivers a correct reflection of the people’s will,” said Imenda.

“We wish to note that this will be the most-watched and closely monitored election by the Zambian population and indeed the international community, since 1991 and perhaps even since independence. It’s therefore incumbent upon the Electoral Commission of Zambia to do the correct thing by ensuring that they deliver a free and fair election that attests to the will of the people of Zambia. Finally, we wish to appeal to all our supporters and all the people of Zambia to take ownership of the election and not pass on the responsibility to an individual, a party or organisation. This is your election that will decide whether this country is swallowed into the sinkhole or soars up like the noble Eagle into the sky. Every registered voter must turn out to vote.”