The Centre for Policy Dialogue has highlighted that the police have a clear mandate to exercise caution in permitting political rallies, especially when security concerns arise. The organization’s Executive Director, Caroline Katotobwe, has called for a harmonious relationship between political players and law enforcement agencies to determine suitable times and locations for rallies, ensuring they unfold peacefully.

Speaking in an interview with ZNBC News in Lusaka, Ms. Katotobwe emphasized that political rallies are an essential component of democratic practices and the exercise of freedom of assembly and association. While recognizing the significance of political gatherings, she underscored the importance of respecting security considerations in the interest of public safety.

Over the past week, tensions have escalated between the Zambia Police and the opposition Patriotic Front party concerning the party’s intention to hold a political rally in the Zingalume area of Lusaka. This standoff has drawn attention to the delicate balance between political expression and maintaining law and order.

Ms. Katotobwe also called for peaceful coexistence among political parties in the country as a vital means of reducing political violence. She stressed that political violence is fundamentally incompatible with the principles of democracy and urged all stakeholders to prioritize peaceful engagement in the political arena.

Furthermore, Ms. Katotobwe highlighted the necessity of intensifying civic education as a crucial measure to combat political violence. By enhancing civic awareness and understanding, citizens can make informed decisions, contribute to peaceful dialogue, and minimize the risk of violence in the political landscape.

President Hakainde Hichilema has called on members of the United Party for National Development (UPND) to go out in various communities of Western Province to explain what the party in government has done in its first two years of being in power.

 And Mr Hichilema has advised all the UPND members to visit every home in various communities of the province to ensure that even old people are registered and be put on the social cash transfer.

President Hichilema said this during the national launch of celebrations of the UPND’s 24 months in power held at Mongu stadium today.

 “We are in a hurry to bring meaningful development to Western Province and the entire country,” Mr Hichilema said.

 The President has meanwhile thanked the people of Western Province for massively voting the party two years ago. 

“We struggled for a long time to form a government but you the people of this region, you have made us win and we are your servants,” he said.

 The President also instructed all retirees who have not yet been paid their terminal benefits should be identified.

 “I request every member in the ten days of the UPND activism to ensure that those retirees who have not yet received their benefits write their names and submit the names to the Permanent Secretary so that we pay them. We are here to better the lives of our people, ensure that you move with pieces of papers to write the names of everyone so that they receive help from this government,” he said.

 Mr Hichilema said party members should show compassion to the underprivileged people in the province.

He said children who are not going to school should return to class because there is now free education.

 “My colleagues, let us take note of every school, clinics among other projects that do not have water so that we drill boreholes. We have enough money through the increased Constituency Development Fund (CDF). We are on the rightful trajectory of reconstructing this country,” he said.

 Mr Hichilema further said in the ten days of UPND activism, all party structures should start checking on all the CDF projects in order to ensure that there is progress. 

“Don’t allow people to misuse CDF monies because this is your money meant to enhance infrastructure development in your areas,” he said.

 He disclosed that the focus of the government is to ensure that the Lukulu-Katunda- Mumbeji, Sesheke-Livingstone, Kaoma-Kasempa and Mongu-Lusaka roads are worked on in order to ease the movement of people and goods in the province.

 “As we commemorate our two years of being in power, we should have a focus on improving the living standards of our people in the country,” Mr Hichilema said.

 The President said his government attaches great concerns to many challenges that are affecting the people in the province.

 He said these challenges will soon be brought to order so that the people in the region appreciate their efforts of voting for the UPND into office.

 “You have given us a five-year mandate of ruling this country and in the five years, we have already done two years and everyone is a witness to what we are doing,” he said. 

“We have increased the CDF from K1.6 million to K28.3 million. We want to ensure that in the next budget, we increase the CDF so that we improve the living standards of our people in this country,” Mr Hichilema said.

 The Head of State has meanwhile implored youths and women to form cooperatives in order for them to have access to the CDF in the province.  

 And Western Province Minister, Kapelwa Mbangweta said the region has witnessed a lot of development such as the construction of Luanginga bridge that is connecting Kalabo town to Liuwa constituency to the south-west tourism corridor.

 “As I am speaking now, the Kafue hook bridge that connects Western province from Central province is completed, government has opened a renal unit at Lewanika General hospital that is serving many lives of people in the province. Mongu-Limulunga road is also completed,” Mr Mbangweta said.

 He said the province has recorded massive development in the last 24 months, adding that more major infrastructure development projects are under way.

 And UPND Secretary General, Batuke Imenda has called on the UPND leadership to embark on strategies of growing the party in the province. 

“We need more members to join our party, that way, we will increase the party membership,” Mr Imenda said.

 President Hichilema was accompanied by UPND Secretary General, Batuke Imenda, Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development Minister, Charles Milupi, Water Development and Sanitation Minister, Mike Mposha and Minister of Community Development and Social Services, Doreen Mwamba among other notable dignitaries.

Zimbabwe’s elections commission said late on Saturday that incumbent Emmerson Mnangagwa had won this week’s presidential election with roughly 53% of the vote, but the opposition and analysts immediately questioned the result.

Mnangagwa, who took over from longtime leader Robert Mugabe after a 2017 army coup, was widely expected to secure re-election for a second term as analysts said the contest was heavily skewed in favour of the ZANU-PF ruling party, which has been in power for more than four decades.

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) said Mnangagwa’s main challenger, Nelson Chamisa, who leads the opposition Citizens’ Coalition for Change (CCC) party, secured 44% of the presidential vote.

ZANU-PF supporters started singing and cheering at the results centre after the elections commission said Mnangagwa had won.

A CCC spokesperson said in a post on X, formerly Twitter, that the party rejected “any result hastily assembled without proper verification”.

Mnangagwa also narrowly defeated Chamisa at the last presidential election in 2018. The opposition alleges that election was rigged but the constitutional court upheld the result.

While the run-up to the election has been largely free from violence, the police routinely ban opposition rallies and arrest opposition supporters using Zimbabwe’s tough public order laws.

ZANU-PF denies it has an unfair advantage or seeks to influence the outcome of elections through rigging.

The head of the European Union’s observer mission on Friday said this week’s vote took place in a “climate of fear”. Southern African regional bloc SADC’s mission noted issues including voting delays, the banning of rallies and biased state media coverage.

Nicole Beardsworth, a politics lecturer at the University of the Witwatersrand, said she thought the late Saturday announcement was probably a response to the critique by SADC and other election observers.

“We all have a lot of questions about the speed with which ZEC is announcing presidential results,” she said.

Voting in this week’s presidential and parliamentary elections was meant to be wrapped up within one day on Wednesday, but it was extended into Thursday in some wards after the late distribution of ballot papers.
Source:Reuters