COMMUNIQUÉ RELEASED BY THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION OF ZAMBIA ON THE STAKEHOLDER EXPECTATIONS FOR THE LUSAKA MAYORAL BY-ELECTION AND OTHER DISTRICT AND WARD BY-ELECTIONS SCHEDULED FOR 26 JULY 2018 12.07.18
ELECTORAL COMMISSION OF ZAMBIA, LUSAKA.
On 30 April and 11 May 2018, the Electoral Commission of Zambia met with Church Mother Bodies, political parties and the Zambia Police to discuss the norms and standards of stakeholder conduct in view of the 5 June Chilanga Parliamentary By-Election.
This engagement resulted in various expectations that were outlined for political parties, the Zambia Police, the media, traditional leaders, civil society, the youth, Churches and for the ECZ itself.
It is based on the above that a post-mortem review of the 5 June By-Election and the previous By-Elections of 24 April has taken place and has fed into deliberating over expected and good behavior of stakeholders for the upcoming 26 July By-Elections across the country.
Therefore, we the stakeholders present have unanimously resolved the following:
1. That the Commission should write to His Excellency President Edgar Chagwa Lungu and UPND President Mr. Hakainde Hichilema indicating that the source of violence is perpetrated by members of the two parties (UPND and PF) and that it is incumbent on the two to help the Commission by encouraging their supporters to remain peaceful;
2. That changes in the Election Campaign Schedule should be communicated in advance and agreed upon among the parties involved so that the programme is harmonised and clashes avoided;
3. That the Commission calls upon leaders of UPND and PF Campaign Teams including youth and women group leaders to be called to the Commission to discuss the curbing of political violence;
4. That Police should impound unregistered motor vehicles and vehicles bearing fake number plates which are used for campaign purposes;
5. That nobody should carry weapons during the campaign period. And police should act decisively to arrest cadres and political leaders who bear arms during the campaign period;
6. That the use of civil and courteous language should be encouraged during the campaign period;
7. That Police reserves should not be involved in the election period to maintain law and order;
8. That the Church shall openly name and shame any political party that does not meet the expectations of conduct during campaigns and poll day.
We further wish to state that we remain firm in conducting peaceful campaigns and ensuring that we shall allow the electorate to vote freely on 26 July 2018 without any threat of violence, force or intimidation.
Upnd can’t heed on counsel which the ECZzhas provided simply because their party is frustrated. Upnd has lost many by election which was a barometer on their side. PF is gaining mileage up to 2021. What next for upnd ..? Frustration and bitterness .
In 2016 parties had a similar agreement but violence was still there. A country’s culture depends on its leadership. Politics where numbers are more important instead of principles and policies is a fraudulent system. All institutions of governance have weakened. Police are very capable of ending violence once they are set free from today’s capture. But that does not exonerate them from their inaction. As long as law enforcement agencies remain captured they will not be able to stop violence.
In any normal circumstances it’s only the ruling party’s leadership which can say no to violence and everyone will follow, but if you find violence in any country which means the originator of it is the ruling party and no two ways about it.