Political parties participating in the Chilanga District Chairperson By-Election on 26 July have taken measures to end violence in the district by drawing up ten resolutions which were signed by the parties, the Police and the District Electoral Officer who is also the Council Secretary.
Among the resolutions signed by UPND, PF and UPPZ, Police and the Council Secretary was a call to political parties not to import cadres to the district during the campaign period and command centres to be immediately disbanded after the campaign period ends on 25th July as well as voters to leave polling stations immediately after voting.
Accrding to the statement released to the media by Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) public Relations Manager, Ms Margaret Chimanse, the parties also resolved that offensive weapons should not be carried during the campaign period while door to door campaigns were restricted to three people and campaign messages to be issue based with no character assassination.
The parties further resolved to abide by the district campaign schedule and called for enhanced police presence at polling stations while maintaining routine patrols. It is hoped that these measures shall help maintain peace during campaigns and poll day for the Commission to deliver credible elections.
Meanwhile, United Party for National Development (UPND) Spokesperson Charles Kakoma has denied reports from PF that the UPND cadres attacked the residence of Karen Mukata, young sister to former Chilanga Member of Parliament Hon Keith Mukata.
According to PF reports, Ms Mukata’s residence, which is being used as a PF election center, was attacked by UPND cadres in the presence of their candidate Mr. George Muleya and UPND Chilanga Ward councillor Misheck Mweemba and a UPND lady Mrs Mafosi who is Ms. Mukata’s neighbour. The report also alleged that UPND criminals went away with a Television and Radio set belong to Ms. Mukata.
However, Mr Charles Kakoma said that those that attacked Ms. Mukata were not UPND members.
And PF Member of the Central Committee Kebby Mbewe has condemned the violent attacks by suspected UPND cadres on Karen Mukata’s residence. Mr. Mbewe who is also Chilanga Council Elections Campaign Manager said that it was disappointing that the attack comes shortly after the PF and UPND held a meeting with the Electoral Commission of Zambia to hold peaceful council elections.
Mr Mbewe advised UPND leader Hakainde Hachilema to denounce violence as President Edgar Lungu has done on several occasions. Mr. Mbewe said the attacks on Ms. Mukata are unfortunate and must not be condoned in anyway.
He was speaking shortly after he visited the residence to check on the victim and extent of the damage to property.
And Ms. Mukata who narrated her ordeal to ZNBC News said the cadres also went away with property which included a flat screen television set and a radio and that the matter has been reported to police.
This ECZ is wasting the churches, police and public’s time. Everybody knows that the two parties that are causing violence or behind it are UPND and PF.
The only message that will get to these parties is disqualification. ECZ should just disqualify these two big parties and send a strong message that they are serious about managing the system that is core to the governance system in this country.
The Country would mind holding elections without these two useless parties.
Please just disqualify the two parties and we move on.
PF was named after ZANU-PF due to M.Sata’s admiration for ZANU-PF election violence. After the most violent 2001 Chawama bye-elections, Sata saw that violence causes fear leading to apathy.
@MMD Chief Bootlicker/Mother f.c.ker:
Just lick Lungu’s ass and leave UPND out of your stupidity!!
Ba under5 very hopeless…Women are to be protected and not to be attacked. Under5 party kaya
You are right. What about PF cadres striping UPND female supporter in full view of PF leadership?
Shame on you hypocritical !mbecile
THAT IS ” PANGA FOR PANGA” AT WORK.
Which one of two pangas you moronic !mbecile support?
@Chisenga:
Yes – just like you voted for Thief Lungu at Mulungushi using Pangas!
It’s such a shame to see my beloved reduced to this level….
I empathise with you but it is high time you did something to bring sanity to that country. Lungu and Willie Nsanda brought all this sh.it at Mulungushi to force the adoption of thief for presidential elections.
Guy Scott at the time could not even be allowed to chair the process as PF Leader at the time.What we are seeing today is an escalation of the same unruliness and violence to the national level by PF. This is exactly how lawlessness started in Somalia and Liberia until they became broken states! If there was a way, it is even better to exhume Willie Nsanda and burn his bones because he is the one that brought these problems.
HH loves bloodshed. Never at any time has he ever condemned violence. In short as long as it’s his cadres who’s pangaed a PF cadre it’s ok.
The two parties causing violence are not UPND and PF its HH and GBM
How can pf cadres attack someone who is supporting them
Government must brand UPND as a Terrorist Horganization and begin to … and get the arsonists.
True. I will inform the UN on this citing such cases like the Namwala massacres.
“UPND FOR TONGAS ONLY” says Ackson Sejani. Political violence was started by this tribal grouping called UPND
UPND is a TRIBAL & TERRORIST HORGANISATION.
HH was in a red priestly robe at the market yesterday where the sacrifice was done by UPND Hagain.
PF AND MUKATA ARE A NUISANCE. NOW IT IS VERY CLEAR THAT MUKATA KILLED HIS SECURITY GUARD IN THE PRESENCE OF KAPYONGO. THERE IS NO WAY THAT A RULING PARTY CAN BE IN SO MUCH LOVE WITH A CONVICTED MURDERER
All the time it’s not their fault, will this government ever take responsibility for anything. You people in power should know that there will come a time when you will be held responsible for these violent acts. This same violence if not contained is going to work against you