GEARS Initiative Zambia says the reaction to and position taken by Zambia Police Service and Electoral Commission of Zambia on the Commission of Inquiry report on Voting Pattern and Electoral Violence as contained in the Times of Zambia article, Tuesday November 19, 2019 edition on page 2 leaves much to be desired and may act as trigger to further violence in coming elections.
Organisation Executive Director McDonald Chipenzi says the two institutions seem to lack a public strategy to address the dangerous highlights in the reports.
He says GEARS Initiative Zambia finds it shocking that the two institutions are seemingly ending at analyzing and studying the 2016 Commission of Enquiry with a sole desire to amend the respective institutional gaps cited in the report in the future.
Mr. Chipenzi questioned what their immediate action against the perpetrators of such violence and hate speech are.
“Such responses are undermining and downplaying the criticality of and encouraging the current trends in voting patterns and electoral violence in the electoral process in Zambia”, he said.
Mr. Chipenzi says it is for this understanding that GEARS Initiative Zambia has been expecting serious action against the cited perpetrators and violators of the laws of Zambia by bringing them to book.
“As we noted earlier, GEARS Initiative Zambia expected for sincere apologies from, arrests and prosecutions of the agents of tribalism, hate speech, violence, and sectionalism as mentioned in the COI Report”, he added.
“In the same vein, we expected President Edgar Lungu, after reviewing the report, to have acted against those names mentioned as perpetrators of these vices and serving in his government and party in various positions ministers, Permanent Secretaries, District Commissioners and ambassadors, and party officials”, Mr. Chipenzi said.
He said if President Lungu is reluctant to act, it was their expectation that the Zambia Police Service and ECZ should have summoned their statutory mandates, power and authority to effect recommendations of the report and detect crime, maintain and enforce the law by invoking the relevant sections of the penal code, electoral Act, Electoral Code of Conduct and other laws on people mentioned in the report that instigated the Voting Patterns and Electoral Violence in Zambia especially during election times.
Mr. Chipenzi said the report should not just be treated or regarded as a mere study or analysis report or reference or study book or material but one that should serve as a deterrent mechanism for would-be offenders in the future.
“Above all, this report was produced at a great cost on taxpayer’s money hence our call to nip out of the bud individuals and institutions that have been promoting and failing to curb tribalism, hate speech, sectionalism and violence in the country”, he said.
Mr. Chipenzi said GEARS Initiative Zambia is anxiously waiting to see the police swing into action against those individuals revealed and mentioned in the report as agents of tribalism, hate speech, violence, sectionalism among other vices during elections regardless of party, religious and/or regional affiliation.
He said this is so because the police is there to detect and fight crime, maintain and enforce laws, of which one is the penal code which criminalizes tribalism, hate speech, violence, sectionalism, etc hence our view that police must now show its teeth, impartiality in fighting electoral and political crimes and offenses.
“Otherwise, the tribalism, violence, hate speech and sectionalism attributed and promoted by mainly by elites and those associated with state power should not be swept under the carpet”, he added.
Mr. Chipenzi said Zambians must unite against tribalism, hate speech, sectionalism and targeted violence which always manifest itself during elections if we are to build a better and united Zambia for all.
YOU JOKING LUNGU THRIVES ON VIOLENCE AND INTIMIDATION SO YOU THINK HE CAN AGREE TO THAT.
Political violence is sanctioned by Edgar himself. Just look at how Kaizer Zulu behaves, with full blessings of the president
Start with bandit Kaizer Zulu.
By the way, how much is mealie meal?
Have people eaten with this PF induced & endless dununa load shedding?
How is the economy doing?
Anyway, the road going to Livingstone at Chikankanta is slippery & it’s closed.
The Skeleton Key
~206~
UPND is a tribo Horganistion masquerading as a party!
How, when they are -P.F0LICE FORCE” & answerable to P.F Cadres.
ZAMBIA UNDER BaCH4K0LW@ IS A LAWLESSNESS DETERIORATED FAILED STATE!!!
Chipenzi is the last person to talk about the evils of tribalism and and electoral violence. His party is composed of people who support and practice both. That is why they have been in opposition for 20 yrs.
From his “humble” beginnings, he has risen through violence. If you want to be his friend, drink with him. According to him, a friend is someone you can drink with. Guy Scott is unwell but cannot receive help because someone considers him not his friend. Bwesheniko umutima mwebanthu and kwateniko Ubuntu! Guy Scott needs specialist treatment! Is he not a dignitary who diligently served our nation? But this is how personal political hatred has become today under PF. So sad indeed!
Guy Scot, like most politicians, served their pockets. Do you think if we didn’t have politicians we would die?
Guy Scot, like most politicians, served his pockets. Do you think if we didn’t have politicians we would die?
In countries like Tanzania and South Africa there is no one above the law. Traditional leaders are also liable ka? It is only in Zambia where we think Chiefs, Politicians, and those with cash are exempt from being answerable. Muzaona one day that will come to an end. Nuukuza muzacita behave a mambala! Mwadelela wene cinji awo aliye na ujeni…azungu akuti ‘balls’
The Govvernment Doesn’t sunction violence and the sort, it is because of the oppositions it faces when it tries to take such actions. Here you are despising the Government for telling ZP and ECZ to swing into action when we all do not like violence, teibalism, etc. instead of supporting it so we can all be happy citizens. It starts with you, here and now
ARE YOU CALLING FOR CITIZENS TO BE BEATEN BY POLICE IF THEY GATHER ? ARE YOU CALLING FOR VIOLENCE AGAINST THE CITIZENS OF ZAMBIA ???? THIS IS NOT ZIMBABWE WE WILL NOT BE MISTREATED OR MISHANDLED BY ANYONE. THIS GOVERNMENT CONDONES VIOLENCE, THEY SPREAD FALSEHOODS AND SINCE COMING IN TO POWER THEY HAVE CAUSED TRIBALISM TO TAKE PLACE. STOP ADVOCATING FOR VIOLENCE WE ARE PEACE LOVING CITIZENS !!
Yes, and we all know whom these agents of tribalism, etc etc. are……UPND! Good call guys…..
It’s as good as expecting to grow hair on an egg. The police and ECZ are captives of politicians and their cadres even if another party was to take over from PF. It’s the same political players who keeping changing their attained when it suits them. This mentality started with UNIP where it was said ” PAYS TO BELONG TO UNIP”. The Police and UCZ needs beyond reform but Complete Overall. So what Chipenzi is talking in unworkable.We are all product of the old system and it’s part of our DNA.
The propaganda machinery of the recent opposition political party of Hakainde has spend most of the donations sponsoring thugs and all manner of lies in the media. Even the financiers are tired of same old tricks of violence. If police and ECZ close the gap of violence and intimidation then someone will retire very very soon.