Zambia’s opposition political parties have rejected the use of mobile phones to transmit election results in tomorrow’s by-elections.

The new system by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) uses mobile phones to transmit results from remote polling centres to a tallying centre before the final results are announced and the winners declared.

The ECZ has bought mobile phones for all election officials for use in transmitting the election results in a bid to bring efficiency in the election management system.

But opposition parties have rejected the system as they say it could be manipulated by the ruling party in order to rig the elections.

The opposition parties are now demanding that the country’s elections body immediately withdraws the system.

ECZ public relations manager Chris Akufuna said the commission had met and agreed with political parties on their plan to introduce a new results management system in elections but was now shocked that they have rejected the electronic system.

He said the new system was meant to improve the transmission of results using cell phones from the polling centres to the polling stations, and to the tallying centre.

“Once the project proves effective, it would be used in all upcoming elections as well as the 2016 general elections,” Akufuna said.