CONTINUED ABUSE OF PUBLIC RESOURCES BY PROFESSOR NKANDU LUO TO CAMPAIGN WORRY TIZ
By Patricia Male and Mastone Moonze
Transparency International Zambia –TIZ- is concerned with the abuse of public resources in the ongoing campaigns by patriotic front presidential running mate Professor Nkandu Luo who has been moving around the country with Vice President, Inonge Wina.
In its 2021 weekly elections project update, TIZ notes that while Mrs. Wina’s trips have been said to be for purposes of inspecting government developmental projects, the organization is alarmed to see Professor Luo using the same trips to interact with the electorate and engage in campaigns.
TIZ Executive Director Maurice Nyambe explains that while the organization is cognizant of the fact that the vice president has the right to have anyone accompany her on official trips, it is of the considered view that involving the party’s running mate in this manner and allowing her to use the opportunity to campaign is an abuse of public resources by Professor Luo.
TIZ has since requested the Electoral Commission of Zambia to take interest in this matter since article 3(b) of the electoral process act no 35 of 2016 stipulates that it is the duty of the commission to ensure that political parties do not use state resources to campaign for the benefit of any political party or candidate.
Meanwhile, the Human Rights Commission has advised law enforcers to exercise fairness in the way they apply the law to participating political parties in the forthcoming general elections.
Speaking during a stakeholder’s workshop in Choma this morning, Commission Spokesperson Mwelwa Muleya said all political parties must be treated the same while police should not discriminate other political parties in their application of the law.
PHOENIX NEWS