Political violence increases in Zambia

Zambia’s ruling party and the opposition United Party for National Development have traded accusations over the cause of electoral violence which has plagued the country in the past weeks.

The country’s electoral commission threatened to bar campaigning ahead of elections on August 11 due to growing cases of violence.

The decision followed clashes between supporters of the ruling party and the main opposition party.

But the threat has not stopped the violence as the parties continue to accuse each other of instigations.

The German Ambassador to Zambia, Bernd Finke reportedly said the violence is harming Zambia’s reputation of being a peaceful country.

Zambia’s electoral commission said the Electoral Process Act of 2016 empowered it to suspend campaigns if it was necessary for the conduct of a credible election.

“The commission is compelled to warn political parties and candidates participating in the 2016 general elections and the referendum to desist from acts of violence, failure to which it will suspend all political party campaigns and disqualify them from the elections”.

The same law empowers the commission to disqualify a political party or candidate in breach of the Electoral Code of Conduct, the commission added.

News Agencies