Five Civil Society Organisations have challenged Inspector General of Police Stella Libongani to rescind the decision to political parties from organising campaign rallies in Mpongwe and Livingstone ahead of Thursday’s bye elections.
The civil society organisations charged that the Zambia Police Services does not have powers to ban political parties from organising campaign rallies.
The NGO have since warned that Zambians might lose confidence in the electoral process if opposition political parties are not allowed to freely hold campaign rallies.
The five organizations namely, AVAP, SACCORD, FODEP, ZCID and the Zambia National Women’s Lobby have since challenged the ECZ to make their stance known over the decision by the Zambia Police to ban political rallies in Mpongwe and Livingstone.
Speaking on behalf of the five NGOs at a news briefing, Zambia National Women’s Lobby Executive Director Juliet Chibuta said the decision by the Zambia Police to ban political rallies is unconstitutional.
Mrs. Chibuta said the results of the Mpongwe and Livingstone bye election risk being challenged in the courts of law on grounds that the playground was not even.
“Regarding the police ban on political rallies and the advice to concerned political parties to conduct other ways of campaigns such as door to door, we would like to express our greatest concern on this directive.”
“Firstly, it is not possible for political parties to communicate to possible electorate using the suggested method and enable them canvass enough support needed for a party to win elections, for example, Livingstone has about 68,000 registered voters while Mpongwe has about 35,000 registered voters. How does a political party manage to reach out to such a large population of people using door to door campaigns?” she said.
She also observed that the ban on political rallies might also result in voter apathy.
“We don’t know which law the police is using to curtail and shorten the campaign period by banning rallies from that prescribed by the ECZ which is 48 hours before the poll but ahead of these bye elections, the campaign rallies are now ending 96 hours before the polls. Is this the right way to curb violence?”
Over the weekend, Deputy Inspector General of Police Solomon Jere announced that the Zambia Police Service has banned all political parties from holding campaign rallies in Mpongwe and Livingstone ahead of Thursdays’ elections in order to safeguard public peace and order.
Solomon Jere wait for your time ! The IG is not on leave for you to be issuing POLICY STATEMENTS ? Have you ever heard other Deputy Service Chiefs making proclamations without the blessing of their Superiors ?
How do you know Jere made the announcement without the consent that wh.ore of the IG. It is likely that Libongani told Jere to make the announcement….that woman is wicked and I know 100% Jere was following ugly Libongani’sorders!
BUT CI MAYO ICI CIBI PAMENSO ZO NONA. EACH TIME I HEAR HER NAME I FEEL LIKE SPITTING ON HER FACE. SHE IS BEING USED BIG TIME LIKE A HOOKER.
1.2 Ola, what om earth, you have no respect to women. Insulting Libongani is same insulting… ok I stop it.
It is the right thing to do when useful *****s start killing each for no reason
Ola
You are a vile disgusting excuse of a human being, you should be ashamed of yourself
It makes me sad to see our president use a tone as though he is still in the opposition, cheating on his lips that PF has fulfilled election promises such as youth employment, more money in the pocket, the constitution etc only exist in his mind. Just shouting like a Biblical creation phenomena that let their be a Muchinga province or let their be district ABCD without realistic achievable objectives with a time frame is a sad thing. PF and Sata are in denial. They have failed to run this country.
Don’t just unban rallies we also need leaders taken to task on their poor record.As of right now Kenyans are havin a presidential debate aired on international networks and the questions are very pointed.Our electoral and governance systems got alot to learn from kenyans.
Panic in the PF camp, these are all tricks to find a winning formula. We can see PF is panicking as the opposition has pick up momentum.
Ichisosa chipa amano ,ichibosa chilasuma.
The NGO’s must be realistic, Libongani is a political appointee and has no authority to make any decision on any police operations. Asking her to rescind the decision to ban the opposition from addressing rallies is like firing her from her job on the spot. It is not about principles or professionalism or integrity but about hanging on to the job by any means.
Ehe he he he… Laugh Beloved Country – iyi yeve iliko pitifull
I suppose this is a curb on the precedence that has been set in past elections where people use this period to foment trouble and violence? If so well done to the police. If not, let us examine which violations have been made and address them lawfully, and peacefully…
I GUESS THE BAN ONLY APPLIES IN LIVINGSTONE AND NOT MPONGWE AND ONLY AFFECTED THE NEXT 24 HOURS. I DONT KNOW WHAT ANY RALLY CAN CHANGE IN THE LAST 24 HOURS. HOWEVER THE POLICE ALSO WENT VERY FAR. THOSE WHO ARE TO LOSE THE POLLS MUST NOT BE ALLOWED TO USE THIS AS AN EXCUSE.
Chisenga it is the courts to decide that and not the police or a fellow competitor. Are we now in a police State?
Ba PF na tumpa fye.
Guys, look at Libongani! Which man would like to be waking up every morning sleeping next to that Ugly woman in the white top? Even for free singa uke bane! Kasosa, in uniform, is nice game and good for action!!
BUT BA UPND, ARE THESE THE COMMENTS YOU CAN BE MAKING? WHAT KIND OF A POLITICAL PARTY ARE YOU???
imwe ba daudi @12 that your insult is directed at God the creator . confess and repent of your words. No one is ugly we are all born beautifull as God chose.
These overzealous police guys are further tarnishing the image of PF Government which already is tarnished on the international scene, Do they know what they are doing to this country with their unprofessional misconduct and unlawful pronouncements, I hope they knew what their action has done to the president in particular and PF in general,
As expected TIZ has loudly remained silent on this one. Goodwell Lungu is proving to be a useful I…………. for his masters.
GOODWELL LUNGU IS CLEVER. HE DOES NOT JUST OPEN HIS MOUTH WITHOUT THINKING FIRST. HE DOESNT MOVE WITH THE WIND.
I my fellow zambian we are not looking at all angles. When you have rallies and the presence of the police you to say we are now in police state and some rush to go and petition to CW and now police have seen that only way to avoid blood shed is to ban ralies you start complaining . What do you want the police to do? you are not providing genuine solutions to this problem. When ever there is violence you acuse the PF but Mapatizya Formula this is a beating of none UPND members.
Police they have the right mentain peace and order . Even these so called NGO they just surport everything just to please and show their sponsors that they are working and no one can challenge me that NGO are not sponsored by and wing.
Cheap and foolish analysis
I didn’t know being ‘beautiful’ was one of the essential requirements for a high police job.
Besides, who appointed you judges? Discuss the issues at hand – constructively and with relevance.
Countrymen, Aah, lve withdrawn my comments above kanshi the ban was made after there was violence on Saturday? Ba Jere or Bo Libongani you are right and l respect your decision. The fact that l could have made a different decision does not mean your decision was wrong. But just consult widely especially constitutional lawyers like Dr Simbyakula because if the president holds the rallies (and not UPND) there may be a constitutional injustice?
The NGO’s should be realistic, loss of life should be prevented at all cost. Playing politics when lives of people are involved is not good for the nation or the kind of democracy they keep on defending. Law and order should be maintained at all times, just because it is election time, it does not mean that the police have to stop maintaining law and order in the country! Elections should not be used as an excuse to bring anarchy in the country, they can use pamphlets to promote their political agendas. If they can print 1 million posters, why not print 200,000 pamphlets and drop them in the homes and talk to people face to face? The rally mentality is a sign of laziness from the opposition, foot soldiers are needed to reach out to the people and explain things they do not understand.
only babies attended our rally in Mpongwe. we have been humiliated and and from today there shall be no political rallies. Go to Commonwealth secretariate if you so wish. but dont forget our useful ediots will manhando you if you continue mawala.
Mapatizya Formula + Don’t kutina = Livingstone incidence.
Libongani maybe ugly as per your eyes which have cheated you becos she doesn’t use chemicals as your mothers do to enhance their ugly appearances.Take a minute look at your mother and sisters how would they look without applying chemicals on their bodies. Bana ba man’gete muna wa bulaisa,the woman is a licholocholo mbonyi ya siloko.
I think u ar right. Stella is pretty in mine eyes. I do not support the way she is carrying out her mandate though..she’s got to slow down otherwise she will be the first IG to be prosecuted and jailed for abuse of authority in the history of Zambia after change of Gvt.
PF is seriously abusing the police. If the IG is being instructed why cant she refuse & report such acts ??
NGOs wnat to see more blood. All the elections UPND participate in has violence and all the do not participate in are violence free. What is wrong with these chaps kanshi? What if by chance they win elections?
These rallies are just a recipe for violence. Zambians know all political parties and their agenda. the police is right to do so.
The playing field is even because all political parties have been banned.Fellow Zambians why do you advocate for violence?
These rallies are unproductive ?
Political parties can still use other non violent methods like radio , facebook,twitter, PA system ,TV, posters ,leaflets , door to door campaign (very common in the UK).
Ichibemba chitila ati ushikwete ulubilo abepesha ukuwa we all MMD and their symbol we alll PF ,we all know UPND we all know FDD
@good move. YOU ARE RIGHT. THE ONLY PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE IS THAT SOME POLITICAL PARTIES ALREADY KNOW THEIR FATE. THEY KNOW THAT THEY WILL BE WALLOPED PANTS DOWN BY THE PF. SO AS AN EXCUSE, THEY WANT TO BLAME IT ON THE BAN. BUT EFFECTIVELY THIS BAN ONLY APPLIED TO ONE DAY I.E MONDAY. THE CAMPAIGN PERIOD ENDS ON TUESDAY 06:00AM. SO SURELY YOU CAN NOT LOSE YOUR POPULARITY SIMPLY BECAUSE YOU WERE NOT ALLOWED TO HOLD A PUBLIC RALLY ON A SINGLE DAY. WHERE WERE YOU ALL THIS TIME. AND THE RESIDENTS OF L/STONE ALREADY KNOW ALL THE POLITICAL PARTIES TAKING PART IN THE ELECTIONS. AFTER ALL ,ALL PARTIES WERE BARRED FROM HOLDING RALLIES. SO NO PARTY HAD UNDUE ADVANTAGE.
ECZ must postpone allthe by-elections indefinitely until the issue of campaigns is rectified. It is high time they showed some teeth and educated these fellas. Don’t just regret, do something to mitigate the situation.
NO, NO, NO MR Learned Citizen. WE DO NOT WANT DELAYING TACTICS. LET UPND LOSE HONOURABLY WITHOUT CAUSING CHAOS.
Thanks be to the police for serving the lives of the people of Zambia. The law was made for the good of man but man was not made for the law. Keep it up madam IG and Dr. Jere that is leadership, sometimes you make unpopular decisions for the good of the common man. Am not PF but a responsible Zambian.
DONT WORRY FOLKS, I WILL SOON CLEAN HER GREASILY PUSSSSYYYY.
obsolete pfolice force..we need real change ..
your president has failed to deliver!!
Guyz! Is it fair the IG to anounce this after satana has held all his 2big rallies?
We need fair play. NAREP 2016
NGO’s hv u seen what is happening in livingstone? u blemed the police for the measure they took after reading the situation. can u see how useless some of u are.