Allowing women with artificial nails to vote is progressive – NGOCC

NGOCC has welcomed the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ)’s move to allow women wearing artificial nails to vote, describing the move as progressive. The ECZ recently clarified that women should not be discouraged from voting because they have artificial nails. In an interview, NGOCC Executive Director Anne Anamela said the decision would help remove unnecessary […]

NGOCC has welcomed the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ)’s move to allow women wearing artificial nails to vote, describing the move as progressive.

The ECZ recently clarified that women should not be discouraged from voting because they have artificial nails.

In an interview, NGOCC Executive Director Anne Anamela said the decision would help remove unnecessary barriers to citizens’ participation in the electoral process.

“This development is very welcome, because when we talk about inclusion, we talk about looking at every factor that relates to different groups, whether it’s women, girls, boys, men, persons with disability, youth. So when we talk about inclusion, we need to get around everything that hinders any human being from participating in their democratic right to vote. So for us, this is a very, very progressive development. Equally those that feel this will not be transparent, my understanding is that some of that ink is going to be around the nail and not on the nail itself. That is my understanding. If my understanding is wrong, then I stand to be corrected,” she said.

Anamela noted that women made up the majority of voters in the 2021 general election and urged them to turn out in large numbers for the August 13 elections.

“I think that there have been incidents where women have been subjected to a lot of bullying, whether it’s cyberbullying or verbal bullying, and in some cases, they have been physically attacked. So I think that we could have done better in protecting women, as it remains of great concern to us as an organisation, despite them being our biggest voters. As our record shows, women are usually in the majority, like they were in the majority of voters in 2021. Even this year, I would like to urge women to really turn out in large numbers to come and vote. As long as you know that you’re a bona fide registered voter, please turn up and vote. Do not be intimidated in any way, and come and vote and vote for your choice. And I’d like to urge women to vote for women, even as our campaign says, ‘Her time is now.’ It is now time for women to step up and take positions of leadership,” said Anamela.