President Edgar Lungu has called on Zambians to change their mindset towards prevailing high levels of violence. President Lungu said that Zambia has enough electoral laws that can help address issues of violence.

Speaking on arrival from Livingstone at the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport, President Lungu also appealed to stakeholders to come on board and help address the issues of violence before the 2021 general elections.

President Lungu said the recent violence in Sesheke needs to be addressed and not left to worsen. The President said a clique behind the violence is known and there is need to devise ways to change their mindset.

The President who arrived at 18:25 hours was received by Deputy Secretary General Mumbi Phiri, Service Chiefs and Senior Government officials.

Meanwhile, United Party for National Development (UPND) President Hakainde Hichilema has told the people of Katima Mulilo ward of Sesheke constituency that guns and machetes on innocent people, are used by clueless people, in reference to violence he alleged was started by PF cadres.

Mr Hichilema told the voters that their job was to work flat out to kick out any traces of PF in the Sesheke constituency, adding that where PF take guns take guns, UPND will take will take love and development.

“Zambia does not need guns to fight poverty, it needs men and women with valour to redeem its run down economy and we can state here that we are part of such a progressive team,” Mr Hichilema wrote

Mr Hichilema concluded his message by urging voters to vote against the gun and brutal culture in order to prove UPND people power, their power and their land.

And the Electoral Commission of Zambia has said that Sesheke Constituency in Western Province has a total of 27,872 Registered Voters, 43 Polling Stations and 52 Polling Streams. Seven (7) out of these forty-three (43) polling stations are not easily accessible.

In a statement released to the media, the Commission said that the election results for the seven (7) polling stations will only be available on Wednesday 13th February, 2019.

The affected polling stations are either serviced by Chopper which is unable to fly at night or accessible via the Zambia-Namibia Border that closes at 18:00 hours.

The Commission further said that the Zambia-Namibia Border will be used due to the inaccessible road access on the Zambian side, adding that that the election results would have been endorsed by political party agents and other accredited observers once the count is concluded.

The polling stations referred to are as follows:

Serviced by Air Transport: Sonso School, Katete Community School and Mandila Community School;

Accessible through Zambia-Namibia Border: Mbao Community School, Imusho Primary School, Chivula Primary School and Maunga SDA Church which are all in Imusho Ward.

Due to this, the declaration for the Sesheke Parliamentary By-Election will be on 13th February, 2019.

The Commission appealed for peace and calm during Poll Day, during the Count of the result and in turn the final declaration of the winner of the Sesheke Parliamentary By-Election.

Opposition NDC President Dr. Chishimba Kambwili appeared before Luanshya Magistrate this morning.

This is in a case Dr. Kambwili and 11 others have been charged with unlawful assembly.

Dr Kambwili and 11 others are being represented by, lawyers Christopher Mundia and Caristo Munkonka.

However trial could not proceed today, lawyers representing Dr. Kambwili and 11 Avic employees have asked for an adjournment.

The Magistrate has since granted the adjournment, and trial will commence on 13th February, 2019.

Dr Kambwili was arrested and charged with unlawful assembly after he addressed AVIC workers at his house who went to air their grievances about poor working conditions.

President Edgar Lungu says Zambia has embraced the digital revolution and is promoting a smart Zambia in recognition that information and communications technology would contribute to economic growth and the job creation agenda.

The Head of State was speaking through Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry, Christopher Yaluma, who represented him at the Smart Africa Board Meeting held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

He said ICTs will encourage a knowledge driven economy and will help increase Africa’s competitiveness in the global economy.

President Lungu said ICTs have the ability to level the global playing field, unlock human capital and accelerate national development.

This is contained in a statement issued to the Media by Inutu Mwanza, the First Secretary for Press at the Zambian Embassy in Ethiopia.

Smart Africa was created by heads of states in Kigali in 2013 at which they committed to provide leadership in accelerating socio-economic development through ICT’s.

The member states also created the Smart Africa Alliance, a partnership that brings African countries together with the International Telecommunications Union, World Bank, the African Development Bank, Economic Commission of Africa, the GSMA, Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers and the private sector.

The Smart Africa also developed the Smart Africa Manifesto which promotes principles to put ICT at the center of national socio-economic development agenda; to improve access to ICT especially Broadband; to improve accountability, efficiency and openness through ICT.

It also encourages member states to place the right policy and regulatory environment that will encourage partnerships, entrepreneurship, job creation and knowledge.

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Home Affairs Minister Stephen Kampyongo has warned opposition UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema to refrain from using political violence to seek sympathy from the international community but to do so within the confines of the law.

And Hon. Kampyongo has further warned that Police will not tolerate any person, group or organisation behind the ongoing lawlessness in Sesheke regardless of their political affiliation.

Sesheke residents were yesterday brutally attacked by the UPND following their resolve not to be identified with the opposition political party at the time Mr Hichilema and his entourage passed through the central business district.

“Yesterday, Police advised him (Hakainde Hichilema) that President Lungu will be in town and that the Head of State and the PF will be holding public rallies but he went ahead to dare the Police” says the Minister adding that “As though that is not enough, he goes out to tell lies to the world that his life was under threat. If he is seeking for sympathy from the international community, he will certainly have to do that within the confines of the law.”

The Minister was speaking after conducting an assessment on the extent of the damage on goods and property resulting from an attack on marketeers and residents by UPND cadres.

Hon. Kampyongo who is also the ruling PF’s Chairperson for Youths and Security has reminded the UPND that Zambia has only one Head of State who is President Edgar Chagwa Lungu.

“If Hichilema opts to continue misconducting himself in the manner he is doing, the law will visit him,” says Hon. Kampyongo.

The Home Affairs Minister has urged the Police to ensure that peace returns to Sesheke in the remaining days and the post election period.

“My appeal to you the Police is that you keep vigil of any unruly behaviors and protect innocent citizens in homes and those doing business,” he said.

Meanwhile the Western Province Police Command has assured government that police officers will work tirelessly to ensure calm is restored before, during and after elections.

A district conflict management committee comprising all political parties and the police had given each political party days to campaign and that the opposition UPND leader decided to campaign on days that had been allocated to the ruling PF in order to cause chaos and cry wolf to Zambia and the international community.