Thursday, March 28, 2024

ECZ threatens to ban election campaigns if violence persist

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ECZ Public Relations Manager Chris Akufuna
ECZ Public Relations Manager Chris Akufuna

THE Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has warned that it will be forced to end the election campaign period earlier than the scheduled date of January 19 if incidents of violence and intolerance among political parties participating in the forthcoming presidential election persist.

ECZ public relations manager Crispin Akufuna said in a statement issued yesterday that the commission will be compelled to cancel the campaigns before January 19 if the unfolding incidents of violence and intolerance in various parts of the country continue.

“As we have said before, elections are the only way of choosing leaders to political office and should not be synonymous with violence. The commission wishes to remind all participating political parties that they have a duty to ensure that their candidates, cadres and supporters abide by the electoral regulations including the code of conduct,” Mr Akufuna said.

He said it is the responsibility of political parties taking part in the presidential election to retrain their members and cadres from provoking their opponents and inciting violence.

“Leaders of all political parties have an even greater responsibility to lead by example by promoting tolerance and peace and setting the tone for a level playing field for free and fair election,” Mr Akufuna said.

He said ECZ will soon convene a meeting of all political parties, the church and other stakeholders to chart a way forward on the “ugly” scourge of violence.

Mr Akufuna urged the police to ensure perpetrators of violence and any person caught abrogating the Electoral Code of Conduct are dealt with firmly without fear or fear and irrespective of the political party they belong to.

And Mr Akufuna said the ECZ has also condemned some traditional leaders who have endorsed some presidential candidates in the forthcoming election.

He said endorsements by chiefs may exert undue influence on their subjects.

Mr Akufuna advised traditional leaders to desist from making partisan statements when invited to political functions.

“The endorsements of some candidates by traditional leaders is an abrogation of Section 129 of the Constitution, which states that a person shall not while remaining a chief join or participate in partisan politics,” Mr Akufuna said.

25 COMMENTS

  1. Excuses….. PF start running out of ideas, they want to do it the way they selected their Edgar Lungu. A 2 day conversion ended into four day chaos.
    Please Edgar understand that you are dealing with HH, not the wimpy Miles Sampa.

    • The only way PF (Panga Family of Paya Famer) think they can win this election is by causing violence to intimidate voters. That will not work. PF Candidate is not salable. Edgar Lungu is a drunk disgraced lawyer that was debarred by LAZ for misappropriating clients’ money. HH 2015

    • Nosttra fimofimo, its like Edgar Lungu is giving you sleepless nights. Why can’t you just use this space to talk about your HH and what you think he is going to do for you?

  2. And that Akafuna should be reminded that Zambia has a Guy Scott in-charge of process of electing republican president, therefore Akafuna has no right to start castigating chiefs and Political leaders. Since when did Akafunda given authority to interpret the republican constitution? Atase… but mu Zambia naciibobola.

    • Speaking of violence,whose party is the king of violence in? Am talking about William Tekere Banda…..upnd please answer that.

    • @Nostradamus
      the Akufuna guy is my cousin,,,, he is the one who `discovered` nasty D at copperbelt ZNBC studios… remembe those days??… maybe ECZ is not his great place,, too much stone throwing,,, but mu studio,,, i tell he is good

  3. I agree with Nostradamus. OF has always been an undemocratic and uncultured party. I was never a supporter of the late MCS but this Lungu guy has gone against everything the late MCS upheld. WE CAN’T ALLOW OUR COUNTRY TO FALL IN WRONG HANDS COUNTRYMEN AND WOMEN. YOU PEOPLE ON SITE WHO KEEP SUPPORTING LUNGU EVEN WHEN YOU HE WILL DESTROY THE COUNTRY FURTHER. DEEP DOWN THINGS ARE VERY BAD IN ZAMBIA. THE ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT IS NOT CONDUCIVE FOR AN AVERAGE HARD WORKING ZAMBIAN. WHY DAMAGE OUR COUNTRY.

  4. I wonder why upnd cadres are quick to hip the blame on pf,when their party has also been perpetrators of this vice.Not that i condone violence,but all parties have at some point been caught wanting on this issue and every well meaning Zambian should condemn it and not point fingers.

    • ZAMCAB my mate you are an *****! so if yourself wre attacked by an enermy you cant defend yourself are you not going to retaliate you? UPND is not by itself militant but its being sarted by these dead woods PF(pure fraud) as i call it can you be watching an enemy attacking you ? and to make matters worse the police is working against UPND shaaaaaaaa satan

  5. Paya this, Paya that. That is language of UPND Cadres on this site. UPND is a very provocative party of ‘ain’t going nowhere’ Politicians.

    PF have been impeccably behaved save on the few times the UPND ‘Freemason’ vehicle of satanists have intimidated PF rallies.

    ECZ should be more specific. This election has been marred by the methods of this devil called HH. In a democratic country such a person using the methods of online abuse, interfering in opposition rallies and declaring himself winner before the election would not be tolerated. His contemptuous attacks on a priest HH is suing in court is proof positive of his violent nature.

    HH is not presidential material. It’s ridiculous to attempt making the gov’t into a corporation boardroom! Gov’ts is NOT business!

    • HH may be an Economist (albeit, one that cheated in his exams), but what is the duty of a Chancellor of Exchequer in Zambia? Is it not to run the economy as duty to Presidents’ office. So what role does Chikwanda play in gov’t? Exactly! HH has been campaigning for that office rather than President!

      HH’s campaign is juvenile and misguided.

      ECZ please don’t apply your nonsense to the whole political scene. It is UPND that has been at fault in this election. PF has called for peace time and again, but UPND is inciting the masses, online, in Print and on Radio. The party of HH and himself should be banned.

      ECZ officials are decamping. PF. This has been clear all through out that PF has been under attack by organisations. That is not democratic!

  6. some zambians are hard headed they always are easìly cheated even when they have been with pf for three years and things have gotten worse,a dull zambian even goes to the extent of voting for pf.this time God won’t stand by our side for God has given Zambians an opportunity to elect HH so that Zambians can for the first time be proud of their President who will not be an emberancement internationaly.

  7. i came across a pf chap dishing out pf t-shirts and when he saw that some people where hesitant he told them ì also buy electricit tokens,mealie meal and fuel and i feel the pressure but if some one gives me money t-shirts to help them climb the ladder all i do is dish out the material and pocket the money for i sure know i go in the booth alone.

  8. Ba PF cadres fipuba ifi shitontokanya. Here we have the unity and peace of our country at stake because of your violence and you are bragging. I have left pf to join UPND because pf is too violent and El has cut deals with wrong people, the likes of Mugabe, RB and Boko Aram. That is why pf has schemed to rig the elections or cause mayhem and you want Zambians to believe that you are sane people to vote for?

  9. Go to Zambian watchdog site and see PF cadres brandishing machetes. Who and what are those machetes for? Where are the police? Meanwhile, Guy Scot is feebly telling the police to arrest the culprits. He even says that he knows the ones who sent the cadres to attack a UPND campaign team in Shiwang’andu. Your Exellency, do not tell the police, summon the IG to your office and give her a dressing down for failing to carry out her duties. But of course the PF are benefiting greatly from this violence. This country is surely fast sliding into a failed state!

  10. ECZ is being economical with realities of political violence in the nation. ECZ is known to be impotent in executing its duties. Its not long ago before the death of Michael Sata as republican president was campaigning at a by election a day after campaigning had closed. ECZ did nothing, not even a comment, violence was witnessed, police did nothing. To day ECZ know which parties are violent killing and beating citizens if they belong to opposition parties, ECZ as usual breathing hot air to wrong groups. Its time ECZ can be seen to act and not empty rhetorical statements.

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