- June 11, 2021
- Posted by: Admin
- Category: Press Release, Public Notice
LUSAKA.
11th June 2021
PRESS STATEMENT
(For Immediate release)
ELECTORAL COMMISSION OF ZAMBIA STRONGLY CONDEMNS CAMPAIGN
VIOLENCE
The Electoral Commission of Zambia has noted with serious concern the escalating campaign violence ahead of the 12th August General Election especially in Lusaka and some selected parts of the country. This vice, if left to escalate will undermine the credibility of the elections and also stability and peace of the country.
The Commission has also noted that the perpetrators of violence are mainly the Patriotic Front (PF) and United Party for National Development (UPND). The Commission would like to remind the two political parties that the Code of Conduct which their leaders swore oath to applies to this period of campaigns and must be adhered to without exception.
The Commission would like to categorically state that it will not hesitate to invoke the Electoral Process Act and suspend indefinitely all manner of physical campaigns for the two political parties should these violent acts continue.
The Commission further reminds all political players that violence undermines the credibility of an election and our call to the leadership is that they should prevail over their supporters.
The Commission further calls on the Police to swiftly arrest and present for prosecution all those that will be found in breach of the Code of Conduct. We call upon the police to perform their duties in an impartial and professional manner.
The Commission will not allow the country to degenerate into lawlessness during this period in the name of electoral activities and further calls on the electorate and political party supporters to desist from engaging in violence as it is not worth to die for any political leader. You are further risking your respective political party against applicable sanctions in the law, including disqualification.
From now hence forth, the Commission will be following the activities of both the PF and UPND with keen interest and should this continue, both parties risk being suspended.
The Commission would like to encourage all political players to be tolerant and promote coexistence as these are some of the key ingredients of a maturing democracy and the conduct of peaceful elections.
Patricia Luhanga
Corporate Affairs Manager
For/The Chief Electoral Officer
ELECTORAL COMMISION OF ZAMBIA
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Download Release here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Cp7kefnXZjK4X2pDWORX0KJUCqp_6xYT/view?usp=drivesdk