The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has stated that no political party officials will be carried to Dubai for the 2021 ballot papers printing and verification exercise.

ECZ Chief Executive Officer Patrick Nshindano says carrying party officials and Journalists to Dubai is a huge cost.

Meanwhile Nshindano says the Dubai based company awarded to print the ballot papers at over 6.7 million dollars is cheaper.

But Nshindano also says one Zambian company that did bid was cheaper than the Dubai company but justifies the picking of the Dubai firm on grounds that it printed the 2016 ballot papers which were marred with controversy.

And ECZ says any party that wishes to monitor the ballot papers printing exercise in Dubai must find their way to Dubai and not depend on the Electoral body.

Nshindano was speaking last evening on Diamond TV’s the Costa program.