Friday, March 29, 2024

ECZ lifts campaign ban for the PF and UPND in Lusaka

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ECZ Chief Electoral Officer Patrick Nshindano
ECZ Chief Electoral Officer Patrick Nshindano

The Electoral Commission of Zambia(ECZ) has lifted the partial suspension of the Patriotic Front and United Party for National Development to conduct physical campaigns in Lusaka district.

ECZ Chief Electoral Officer Patrick Nshindano said after suspending PF and UPND in four districts, Lusaka was partially lifted as some restrictions were still enforced with regard to physical campaigns.

Mr. Nshindano said this suspension has since been lifted and expects the two political party structure to adhere to the directives so as to create a conducive environment for free and fair elections.

The Chief electoral officer stated during a joint press briefing with the Zambia Police, PF and UPND leaders, that electoral violence undermines the credibility of any elections and must not be tolerated.

“Intolerance has been seen to be at the center and we can see the cordial relationship that has been existing in leaders of the political parties, we hope coexistence will trickle down to the supporters and ensure that we conduct a free, fair and credible election come 12th August,” he added.

Speaking at the same event, PF Secretary General Davis Mwila has committed to adhere to the resolutions of the meeting held in Lusaka yesterday with the Zambia Police, UPND and ECZ.

Mr Mwila said the resolutions of the meeting include, strict adherence to COVID-19 health guidelines during campaigns, PF and UPND to respect each other’s rights to freely campaign without interference and violence, the two political parties should desist from tampering with each other’s campaign materials such as posters and billboards and they should not violate any provisions of the electoral code of conduct.

Mr Mwila has since cautioned all members not to engage themselves in any forms of electoral malpractices.

“Electoral malpractices are against the principles and values of the patriotic front and will not be accepted,” he said.

Meanwhile, UPND Secretary General Batuke Imenda said the party will endeavor to abide by the rules and regulations that govern the elections.

Mr Imenda has directed UPND members to strictly adhere to code of conduct of elections as the party will not protect anyone who will willfully disobey the law without any justifiable cause.

“We look forward to the impartial implementation of the resolutions and all parties are urged to comply without exception in order for the elections to be free and fair,” he added.

And Inspector General of Police Kakoma Kanganja has called on all political parties to stick to their commitment to peace as well as campaign schedules as submitted to relevant authorities.

Mr Kanganja added that all activities be conducted in COVID-19 guidelines as provided by the Ministry of Health.

“Zambia is a country of laws and as such no one shall be left to behind contrary to what the law provide,” he said.

The Inspector General has warned all police officers to decisively deal with matters of political violence and make more arrests because that is one of the effective deterrents to crime.

In June 2021, ECZ suspend all campaigns for the UPND and PF in Lusaka, Mpulungu, Namwala and Nakonde due to political violence. Two weeks later, the Commission further lifted the suspension in Mpulungu, Namwala and Nakonde district but physical campaigns in Lusaka remained suspended.

12 COMMENTS

  1. Basop my teams are now on the ground. We are here and working. I have not slept for days. We are selling our message and strategizing. I already have the results for the elections if anyone wants a copy

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  2. Very interesting—timing of this announcement coincides with the arrival of the EU observer mission….hmmm…

  3. Just read what Mwila said, “ “Electoral malpractices are against the principles and values of the patriotic front and will not be accepted,” smile a rat to me if anything.

    The only thing I can tell the people of Zambia living in Zed is that please Go Vote in droves for HH just like the Americans did for Biden to oust Trump. Use the ballot and speak through the Ballot to vote PF out. We need our Zambia back. Be the Change you want.

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  4. Just read what Mwila said, “ “Electoral malpractices are against the principles and values of the patriotic front and will not be accepted,” smiles a rat to me if anything.

    The only thing I can tell the people of Zambia living in Zed is that please Go Vote in droves for HH just like the Americans did for Biden to oust Trump. Use the ballot and speak through the Ballot to vote PF out. We need our Zambia back. Be the Change you want.

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  5. Hooray !!!
    A Level Playing Field at Last Hooray

    Opposition go on ,Full Blast
    Tell Edgar Lungu to Apologise to the Zambian People for
    1.Plunging Zambia into a Toxic Sewage of Debt mounting to $20 Billion
    2. Apologise for the Fire Tenders $1 million each
    3.Apologise for the Chinese Overpriced Corrupt
    $1.5 Billion Lusaka Ndola road
    4.Apologise for $300 Presidential Jet
    5.Apologise for ZP Murdering Vespers,Nsama Nsama & Joseph Kaunda
    6.Gassing ,
    7.Apologise for turning Zambia Police into a Government Sponsored terrorist organisation
    APOLOGISE
    I can go On & On

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  6. Mr InzaghiFMC,the 2020 USA elections can not happen in Zambia. In Zambia no political party can win elections using the method the democrats won elections. In USA they don’t use voters ID and NRCs when voting, anyone can vote, we don’t do that in Zambia. In Zambia each political party has representatives who witness the casting of votes in transparent boxes and participates in counting of the votes and signs off on the form called G12 whose total should agree with what ECZ is announcing. They don’t do that in USA electoral system. If you are in USA you know that a software shifted 6,000 votes for Trump to Biden and was caught and they reverse it but what about what they did not catch? We don’t do that in Zambia. HH can win elections if indeed people want change in Zambia and UPND…

  7. HH can win the elections if indeed people want change and UPND works hard to secure the votes by being in every polling station before voting begins and fully participate in counting votes. Also they should have their own totalling centre like PF did in 2011. Am sure Mr Fube will help them do that. If indeed more people will vote for HH, be assured that he is the next president but if not the polling stations signed forms (G12) will show that he has lost a clean game and all that will be needed is to go back to the drawing board.

  8. Both camps go and tell voters what you will
    Do in the next five years?For PF we have heard they are on infrastructure development for twenty years as their campaign manager said.We don’t know if Zambians have that patience before they
    Think of other priorities.

  9. Is this wise from ECZ amid covid cases we are experiencing? We know that PF and UPND cadres will not adhere to covid-19 protocols and this may be a recipe for disaster. Anyway bakamba kale so tiye nayo bane in the spirit of One Zambia one nation one people!

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