THE United Party for National Development (UPND) and the Patriotic Front (PF) are abrogating the electoral code of conduct by engaging in early campaigns for the 2016 general elections, the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ) has charged.
And the UPND has claimed that it was only following what President Edgar Lungu was doing and will continue with its campaigns until the ruling party changed its way of doing politics.
Reacting to the violence that erupted on the Copperbelt following the clash between UPND and PF cadres on Wednesday, EFZ executive director Pukuta Mwanza urged the two political parties to halt their activities especially on the Copperbelt where the political environment was volatile.
Rev Mwanza said leaders of the two parties must act responsibly by caging their unruly cadres and halt their election campaigns because they breached the electoral code of conduct.
“Regardless of who started the violence, what happened on Wednesday is very unfortunate and is a sign of worse things to come as we draw closer to 2016.
‘‘It is lack of responsibility on the part of the leaders of the two political parties which have continued to abrogate the electoral code of conduct with impunity. How do they start campaigning even before ECZ announces the campaign window period?” Rev Mwanza asked.
But UPND spokesperson Charles Kakoma accused the PF of starting the campaign.
Mr. Kakoma said his party was simply following the trend set by President Lungu who was allegedly campaigning for his party.
“What do you expect us to do when the President himself and his wife are campaigning? We will also campaign. As a matter of fact, you do not expect us to be inactive.
‘‘We have continued to mobilise our party by putting structures in place and if PF campaigns, we will also campaign because you don’t expect us to keep quiet when the President himself is calling for people to vote for him in 2016,’’ said Mr Kakoma. But PF secretary general Davies Chama said the UPND was the one that was fanning violence in the country.
“It is clear from the very beginning, the UPND made it clear that it will not stop campaigning even after all political parties were advised to desist from that. So, who is acting irresponsibly here?
“President Lungu is a leader for the entire country and so he is free to go to any part of Zambia to familiarize himself with the challenges facing the people of this country and so you cannot say by visiting certain provinces, he is campaigning,” Mr. Chama said.
BA REV. MWANZA, YOU ARE A TYPICAL JUDAH ISCARIOT. YOU HAVE BETRAYED THE PEOPLE FOR A FEW PIECES OF SILVER.
UPND AND OTHER POLITICAL PARTIES SHOULD CONTINUE MOBILIZING AND RECRUITING NEW MEMBERS. THIS TRAITOR AND THE LIKES OF HIM SHOULD BE IGNORED.
Absolutely right.
Viva Opposition
Viva Zambia
#FreeAndFair
What about the fake priest, Bwalya who has literally camped in the country side (rural areas) busy dishing out govt money and urging people to register and vote for PF, is that not campaigning? Mama Lungu is ever on the move distributing material things, what do you call that, is that not campaigning?
There is too much injustice coming from PF-just take a look at the way they are abusing the public media. Times , Daily Mail and ZNBC are all about ECL and PF and its like we are still in a one party state. Actually, RB’s MMD played it fair when if came to opposition coverage in public media and we applaud him for this despite his many short comings. Why do people even bother paying television fees anyway? If it were in the Western world, ZNBC would be taken to the courts of law for…
@zezemba, do u want mama lungu to be seated at state house, sleep day and night? This is normal for first ladies in the world try and ask Maureen. Moreover HH shouldn’t compare himself to the Republican president cos he is just a wamuyaya party president and not the later
STATEMENTS COMING FROM PF MINIONS, NAMELY REV. MWANZA, BOWMAN LUSAMBO AND SUNDAY NKONDE, ARE INDICATING THAT THERE IS A LOT OF PANICK IN THE PF CAMP. THE BEHAVIOUR OF THE POLICE IS ALSO AN INDICATION OF THE PANICK AT THE TOP MOST LEVEL AND AMONG MEMBERS OF THE POLICE COMMAND. THEY ARE FEELING THE VOLCANIC HEAT. THE WIND OF CHANGE IS BECOMING MORE AND APPARENT EVERY DAY, AND THIS IS CREATING DISCOMFORT AND DESPERATION IN THE PF FILE AND RANK AND AMONG THEIR MINIONS.
CONT’
collecting money on false pretence as the institute does not act fairy, considering the Act which guides its operations states that, as a public institution, it is supposed to act just and fair, taking every one aboard in its news coverage regardless of ones political affiliation.
Ba Pukuta Mwanza, youre a man of God who must be able to see what is happening in the country is being perpetrated by the PF. take for instance what hapenned in Mongu this morning where PF were burning tyres on the road because HH was there. what do you say. Lusambo is busy campagning but he is calling others names. ECL is campagning and stopping others from doing so. what a statement from a man of God!
Sin has blinded their eyes. Hypocrites indeed.
Regardless of who started the violence,REV. MWANZA means that if someone follows you to your house and beat you .Then you are to blame
The problem is that most men of God have traded their principles & faith for pieces of silver ,hence they can’t give fair judgement on what is happening. I salute the Catholic church for standing their grounds by supporting the poor no matter the pressure from Govt.
Its another regime Chang kwasila and lock them up.