Over 200 UPND members in Libonda ward of Liuwa constituency in Kalabo district, Western Province have defected to the ruling Patriotic Front ( PF).

This came to light during the continued mobilization tour of the adopted PF Liuwa constituency candidate Mwangala Mwenda in Libonda ward.

Former UPND Libonda ward Chairman Matakala Sitali said the opposition UPND in the area it has not delivered development adding that schools such as Mukola has not received any help from the incumbent lawmaker Situmbeko Musokotwane.

Speaking on behalf of his fellow defectors, Mr Sitali said the adoption of PF Liuwa constituency candidate Mwangala Mwenda has cheered all the electorates of Libonda ward.

He on behalf of the defectors promised to vote for all the aspiring candidates on the PF ticket.

Mr Sitali said that there clinging to the opposition UPND in the constituency has made the area to lag behind in terms of development.

The Former UPND Libonda ward Chairman has urged voters in the entire constituency to come in numbers during the forth-coming general elections and cast their votes on the PF ticket led by President Edgar Lungu.

Meanwhile, the PF candidate for Liuwa constituency, Mwangala Mwenda has welcomed all the defectors by urging them to bring more members from all the wards into the ruling Patriotic Front.

Mrs Mwenda said it is only under the leadership of President Lungu that Liuwa constituency can receive meaningful development adding that it is high time that people in the area voted for a woman.

Inspector General of Police Kakoma Kanganja has urged political players participating in the forthcoming August 12, 2021 general elections to conduct their political activities in a peaceful manner.

Inspector Kanganja cited incidents in previous election campaigns that were plagued with violence by cadres in some political parties.

He explained that the country experienced occurrences where some cadres were deliberately provoking members of opposing political parties by straying into their camps which in most instances resulted in public order disturbance.

Contained in a statement issued to ZANIS in Lusaka, Inspector Kanganja urged political party leaders to educate their cadres against engaging themselves in acts that may trigger violence.

The inspector General said it was essential for political players to appreciate the need for co-existence by exercising high levels of tolerance for divergent views and avoid engaging themselves in provocative behaviour.

“As political parties commence campaigns in a few days’ time, my advice is for all of them to observe provisions of the law as well as electoral regulations that guide the conduct of political players,” Inspector Kanganja stated.

He indicated that the Zambia Police Service will provide an environment conducive for all political parties to conduct their scheduled activities in a peaceful environment.

He told political players to observe the provisions of the law as well as electoral regulations that guide the conduct of political players, some of them being the electoral code of conduct, Electoral Process Act and other relevant legislations.

The Inspector General advised political parties to submit their campaign schedules to respective regulating officers to allow the police come up with a consolidated plan of all expected political activities.

He further disclosed that the police have trained Community Crime Prevention Units with a view of utilizing a community policing concept to avert violence before, during and after elections.

Inspector Kanganja assured that enough human resources will be deployed to police elections and that all stakeholders in the electoral process have maximum protection.

The Human Rights Commission (HRC) has reminded the Zambian media of the mammoth task it has to perform ahead of the forthcoming general elections this year.

HRC Chief Investigations and Legal Services Officer Kims Banda said part of the task is ensuring that the free will of the people prevails in the 2021 elections.

Mr. Banda said this when he welcomed participants to a review and validation media workshop organized by the Human Rights Commission.

The workshop also looked at the election monitoring tool on the administration of the Public Order Act (POA) in Kabwe today.

He said the media must report fairly, accurately and provide credible information to guarantee the free will of the people in an election.

“We feel the media has a critical role not only to monitor the free will of the people but to also report fairly and accurately of credible information,” he said.

Mr. Banda said it was the commission’s wish that the government provides security to those that genuinely seek the freedom of assembly.

He added that the HRC is also concerned that the media personnel have been victims of violence during election campaigns.

Mr. Banda has meanwhile reiterated that an election is a human rights issue which is enshrined in international and regional statutes.

He stated that Article 21 of the constitution stipulates that, “the free will of the people is the basis for the authority of any government.

“Those who preside over the affairs of the country only do so on the free will of the people. This entails people voting freely and in lateral sense,” he stated.

About 500 students from eleven higher learning institutions have endorsed President Edgar Lungu ahead of August 12 general elections and have since established a coalition called Students Coalition for Lungu 2021.

The institutions are, the University of Zambia, Eden University, National Institute of Public Administration, Evelyn Hone College of Applied Arts and Commerce, UNICHOS, University of Lusaka and Chalimbana university. Others are Zambia Centre for Accountancy, Zambia Open University, Levy Mwanawansa university and Cavendish university.

Meanwhie Lusaka Province Minister Bowman Lusambo snubbed the National Students Forum on Party Manifesto where President Lungu was endorsed.

Speaking on behalf of the students, Zambia National Students Union president Steven Kanyakula says students in their resolutions today they have carefully scrutinized and compared the manifesto of the Patriotic Front as regards to education to manifestos of other political parties, they were convinced that the PF and President Lungu need another mandate to govern he nation.

He says the manifesto shows the PF wants to ensure no one is left behind. Mr Kanyakula said students appreciate the investment that President Lungu has made towards education.

“As a student at Levy Mwanawasa University and indeed many other students, we can attest to the tough decisions the President and his predecessor has had to make towards building our infrastructure in education.

He said it was gratifying to note that President Lungu, through the 2021 to 2026 PF manifesto, is promising to expand the student loan scheme to include private universities and we want to categorically state that he has our full support in this endeavor,” he says.

“So today May 11, 2021, we do hereby resolve to support the Patriotic Front manifesto on education and do hereby endorse the candidature of President Edgar Chagwa Lungu ahead of 2021 elections.

Lusaka, May 12, ZANIS—The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has discouraged all political parties and participating candidates in the August 12 elections against holding campaign rallies.

ECZ Director for Electoral Operations Royd Katongo said during a stakeholders meeting in Lusaka today that rallies are part of super spreaders for COVID-19 as they attract huge crowds.

He advised that political parties and candidates should use other available alternative medium of communication and information dissemination.

“Activities such as rallies are super spreaders. We advise all political parties to do away with rallies because they attract huge crowds. They should instead use alternative means such as zoom, TV, radio and public address systems,” he said.

And Mr Katongo has urged media organisations to ensure fair coverage of all political parties and candidates during the period of campaigns.

He said campaigns for the August 12 general elections will commence tomorrow on May13 and will end on August 11, 2021.

The ECZ Director of Electoral Operations further advised political parties and candidates to conduct all their campaign activities with strict observance of the COVID-19 five golden rules and to also include COVID-19 awareness messages in their campaign.

“Stakeholders in the electoral process including political parties must take full responsibility for what will transpire as a result of failure to adhere to the guidelines recommended by the Technical Committee. The Commission, Ministry of Health and respective agencies should not be blamed in case of any eventualities,” Mr. Katongo stated.

And Assistant Director Health Promotions at the Ministry of Health Kalangwa Kalangwa noted that COVID-19 guidelines are still in effect before, during and after elections.

Dr. Kalangwa urged political parties to respect the rule of law as they embark on their campaign trial and further appealed to the media to include COVID- 19 messages as they disseminate political information.