FODEP says political and electoral violence is recipe for voter apathy and should be condemned by all well meaning Zambians.
FODEP Executive Director McDonald Chipenzi said voters fear to be caught up in the violence perpetrated by cadres during campaigns hence decide to stay away from polling stations on the day of voting due to fear of being caught in the middle.
Mr. Chipenzi said it is important for political players to ensure that they cage their cadres as violence does not only affect political parties but even innocent citizens and that it turns away people from participating in the electoral processes of the country.
“We have always been keen condemners of violence and as you know violence bigots violence and since we are going towards elections any violent activities reduces the chances of high voter turn out,” he said.
He added that it was primitive for any person to use violence when they differ on policy and warned that perpetrators will be taken to the Constitutional Court.
“We don’t expect that people would be fighting 50 years after independence over why I should form a political or because we belong to different political parties. We want to appeal to all political parties to avoid engaging in such vices because the current constitution criminalises any political party that engages in violence and intimidation of opponents even members of such political parties should not be dragged to the Constitutional Court,” Mr Chipenzi said.
Well P.F should refrain from their violent tendencies, & all will be fine
Well spoken ba dala…it seems the political strategy of the ruling PF is anchored on violence and intimidation. The culture of violence is deeply embedded in this political party..