INTRODUCTION     

Welcome to this third issue of the ZIPS 2023 Elections Bulletin.

In this third edition of the ZIPS 2023 Elections Bulletin, the following issues have been covered;

·      Countdown to close of Nominations;

·      Elections Rules Update

·      Admission of Affiliate Members into Associates Category Update;

·      Update on Elections Platforms;

·      Virtual Briefings Housekeeping

·      Voters Register Verification;

·      Important dates; and

·      Past issues of the Elections Bulletin

1.            COUNTDOWN TO CLOSE OF NOMINATIONS

The closing date for submission of applications for nominations for the Council positions is Wednesday 4^th October 2023 at 17:00hrs, please take note if you are vying for any position and have not yet submitted your application. Click here to access the Call for Nominations

2.  ELECTIONS RULES UPDATE

The Elections Rules document is undergoing sign off and is expected to be published by Wednesday 4^th October 2023

3.  ADMISSION OF AFFILIATE MEMBERS INTO ASSOCIATE CATEGORY UPDATE

The process of reclassifying Affiliate members to Associate membership category is ongoing.

4.  UPDATE OF ELECTIONS PLATFORMS

The WhatsApp and Telegram social media platforms are now open.

The purpose of these platforms is:

i. A one stop place for all communications and issues around the elections;

ii. To allow successful candidates push their approved campaign messages on a level playing field and

iii. Allow voters have access to all campaign information.

The platforms will be governed by the Campaign Rules and specifically the following:

a) No vulgar language,

b) No disrespect to other members of the Institute and

c) No character assassination,

NB Use your actual names when joining the WhatsApp and Telegram group and not using nicknames or initials

In addition no other content apart from that to do with elections to be posted here.

Any member found breaching the rules will be cautioned and/or removed from the group.

To join any one or both of the platforms see below:

·         WhatsApp click here to join

·         For Telegram click here to join

Admission to the groups is subject to approval by the Administrators

A link to the ZIPS website Elections Page will be shared once it is available.

5.            FIRST VIRITUAL BRIEFING

The first Elections Virtual Briefing was held on 18^th September to introduce the members of the Elections Committee and brief the membership of key aspects of the 2023 Elections which included the Elections Rules,  Key information provided were the following:

·         Composition of the Elections Committee;

·         Mandate of the Elections Committee;

·         Notice of Elections Rules to guide the Elections Process;

Attendance was quite poor and members are encouraged to attend future briefings and the debates as they give an opportunity for members to interactively engage with the various stakeholders.

Ahead of the next briefing Rules and Guidelines for conduct will be issued to ensure that professionalism and decorum prevail.

6.  VOTER REGISTER VERIFICATION

Verification of the Voters Register has commenced. http://zips.org.zm/Downloads or CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

Please check for your details to the in the Voters Register, please ensure that your details are captured in the format Surname, First Name and Other Names where applicable.  The closing date for verification remains 28^th October 2023.

·      Resolution on admitting Affiliate members to Associate category; and

·      Elections process timelines.

7.            IMPORTANT DATES

8.            PAST ISSUES OF THE ELECTIONS BULLETIN

To access pass issues of the Bulletin click here

------------------------------------------

Original issued and signed by

Welcome to this third issue of the ZIPS 2023 Elections Bulletin.

In this third edition of the ZIPS 2023 Elections Bulletin, the following issues have been covered;

·      Countdown to close of Nominations;

·      Elections Rules Update

·      Admission of Affiliate Members into Associates Category Update;

·      Update on Elections Platforms;

·      Virtual Briefings Housekeeping

·      Voters Register Verification;

·      Important dates; and

·      Past issues of the Elections Bulletin

1.            COUNTDOWN TO CLOSE OF NOMINATIONS

The closing date for submission of applications for nominations for the Council positions is Wednesday 4^th October 2023 at 17:00hrs, please take note if you are vying for any position and have not yet submitted your application. Click here to access the Call for Nominations

2.  ELECTIONS RULES UPDATE

The Elections Rules document is undergoing sign off and is expected to be published by Wednesday 4^th October 2023

3.  ADMISSION OF AFFILIATE MEMBERS INTO ASSOCIATE CATEGORY UPDATE

The process of reclassifying Affiliate members to Associate membership category is ongoing.

4.  UPDATE OF ELECTIONS PLATFORMS

The WhatsApp and Telegram social media platforms are now open.

The purpose of these platforms is:

i. A one stop place for all communications and issues around the elections;

ii. To allow successful candidates push their approved campaign messages on a level playing field and

iii. Allow voters have access to all campaign information.

The platforms will be governed by the Campaign Rules and specifically the following:

a) No vulgar language,

b) No disrespect to other members of the Institute and

c) No character assassination,

NB Use your actual names when joining the WhatsApp and Telegram group and not using nicknames or initials

In addition no other content apart from that to do with elections to be posted here.

Any member found breaching the rules will be cautioned and/or removed from the group.

To join any one or both of the platforms see below:

·         WhatsApp click here to join

·         For Telegram click here to join

Admission to the groups is subject to approval by the Administrators

A link to the ZIPS website Elections Page will be shared once it is available.

5.            FIRST VIRITUAL BRIEFING

The first Elections Virtual Briefing was held on 18^th September to introduce the members of the Elections Committee and brief the membership of key aspects of the 2023 Elections which included the Elections Rules,  Key information provided were the following:

·         Composition of the Elections Committee;

·         Mandate of the Elections Committee;

·         Notice of Elections Rules to guide the Elections Process;

Attendance was quite poor and members are encouraged to attend future briefings and the debates as they give an opportunity for members to interactively engage with the various stakeholders.

Ahead of the next briefing Rules and Guidelines for conduct will be issued to ensure that professionalism and decorum prevail.

6.  VOTER REGISTER VERIFICATION

Verification of the Voters Register has commenced. http://zips.org.zm/Downloads or CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

Please check for your details to the in the Voters Register, please ensure that your details are captured in the format Surname, First Name and Other Names where applicable.  The closing date for verification remains 28^th October 2023.

Welcome to this second issue of the ZIPS 2023 Elections Bulletin.

In this second issue of the ZIPS 2023 Elections Bulletin, the following issues have been covered;

• Call for Nominations;
• Amendment to the 2021 Elections Manual;
• Admission of Affiliate Members into Associates;
• Opening of Elections Platforms;
• Feedback on the questions raised in the first bulletin; and
• Important dates.

1.         CALL FOR NOMINATIONS

We wish to inform the Members that the Call for Nominations opened on 18^th September 2023 and all eligible members are encouraged to apply.

Click here to access the Call for Nominations

2.  ELECTIONS RULES

The Extraordinary Council Meeting of 14^th September 2023 approved the changing of the title of the 2021 Elections Manual to Elections Rules and the subsequent amendments were approved.

The key amendments are as follows:

·  Included the Composition of The Elections Committee;

·  Clearly define the period in which Council tenure ends

· Composition of Council and tenure aligned as per the ZIPS Act;

· Under footnote for good standing the ZIPS Code of Ethics replaces the ZPPA and CIPS Codes of Conduct;

· Revised nomination fees;

· Merged Council Member Nominee Biography and the Campaign Form into one;

· Introduced Integrity and Probity Form;

· Extended the number of days for nomination evaluation to allow for appeals process;

· Included provisions for dealing with vacancies without valid nominations;

· Supplementary guidelines on campaigns have been incorporated.

· Introduced campaign guidelines during the National Conference and the AGM;     

· Introduced an Election Petition process; and

· Introduced the Adhoc Appeals Committee to hear Election Appeals.

3.  ADMISSION OF AFFILIATE MEMBERS INTO ASSOCIATE CATEGORY

Members will be aware of the erroneous transposition of the definitions of Affiliate and Associate in the ZIPS Act (Sections 14 and 15) that has resulted in bonafide members (Affiliates) not to participate in the elections (Section 19 (2)).  

It was envisaged that the new Act would have been enacted, but this has not happened. Various options were explored and based on a legal opinion as per extract below, the most suitable one was to admit all Affiliates as Associate members as a stop gap measure.

“The Institute may consider admitting all the Affiliates into the next category of membership and according to the hierarch of membership the next category of membership is the Associate category of membership.  Once all the current Affiliates members of the Institute are admitted as Associates members, then they shall have the right to vote at the coming elective Annual General Meeting”. 

The Full Council Meeting of 14^th September 2023 approved the admission of Affiliates to Associate Members.

4. OPENING OF ELECTIONS PLATFORMS

The following platforms are now available, and members are encouraged to join

The purpose of these platforms is:

i.   A one stop place for all communications and issues around the elections

 ii.   To allow successful candidates push their approved campaign messages on a level playing field

 iii.   Allow voters have access to all campaign information.

The platforms will be governed by the Campaign Rules and any member found breaching the rules will be removed from the group and the necessary actions as prescribed in the Elections Rules will be enforced.

For WhatsApp click here to join

For Telegram click here to join

5.  FEEDBACK ON THE QUESTIONS RAISED IN THE FIRST BULLETIN