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Zambia denies shutting down phone services on election day

Xinhua, July 2, 2016 Adjust font size:

Zambia's telecommunication regulator on Friday refuted claims that it intends to shut down mobile phone services and other communication devices during the counting of votes for the August 11 polls as part of plans to help the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) win the polls.

On Thursday, the main opposition United Party for National Development (UPND), said it will use parallel vote tabulation as part of efforts to protect the votes.

Charles Kakoma, the party's spokesperson, said the party had information that the Zambia Information and Communication Technology (ZICTA) will switch off communication devices during the voting and counting period.

But ZICTA Spokesperson Ngabo Nakonde said it was not true that the telecommunication regulator intends to shut down communications devices during the election period.

She said the regulator has no access to communication networks and has no plans of jamming phone services.

"It is not possible. We don't have any access to any communication network as ZICTA so can't even do that," she was quoted by the Lusaka Times as saying. Endit