Zambia Police Service’s Senior assistant commissioner Auxensio Daka, says the ferrying of cadres from outside town during election campaigns is responsible for the escalation of violence witnessed in some by elections.
Mr Daka, says political parties should stop taking cadres from other towns to foment trouble in areas where elections campaigns are taking place.
He said the police should not be blamed for the violence as this issue needs to be addressed by political parties themselves.
Mr Daka said this in Livingstone today when he presented a paper on experiences and lessons by the Zambia police service in the enforcement of the electoral code of conduct at the ongoing four days workshop at Fairmount Hotel.
The workshop organized by Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) and sponsored by the United Nations Development Programmes has been convened to review the Electoral Code of Conduct.
The participants include political parties, the media, civil society, the police, and other interest groups.
Mr Daka admitted that the police service has limited expertise among police officers in election related investigations and prosecution.
He said there is also limited understanding among police officers of their role in elections, a thing he said was being addressed by the police together with the ECZ through sensitization programmes.
[ ZANIS ]
Then you know where the problem is, work on that or advice your superiors or you be used like cadres. Because MMD cadres have more upper hands than police officers during elections. We only have one Zambia. Mind you all politicians are on contracts starting from plot one to a ward chairman.
Cadres from the ruling party become untouchables during elections . we ve self confessed crack squads waiting for T – shirts . Surely should we sacrifice our dignity over that . Zambia is for all .
CIVIC EDUCATION IS REQUIRED ON THE CONDUCT OF POLITICAL CADRES BY INDIVIDUAL POLITICAL PARTIES. NO ONE ENJOYS SEEING ZAMBIANS BUTCHERING EACH JUST FOR SAKE OF WINNING A POSITION IN LEADERSHIP. WE SHOULD STOP THIS ROT. THE ELECTORAL CODE OF CONDUCT SHOULD HAVE SHARP TEETH TO BITE THOSE WHO VIOLATE THE PROVISIONS.