By Princes Sara Yeta II
OPEN LETTER TO THE ZAMBIAN ARMED FORCES
To the Zambian Armed Forces,
I write to remind you of your solemn duty to the people and the Republic of Zambia as we move closer to the year of elections.
As the armed forces, you have legitimate and constitutional roles, clearly spelt out, that you are supposed to carry out effectively, and with accountability, within a framework of democratic civilian control, rule of law and respect for human rights.
Next year, this country is going to the polls. This is a national process pivotal to the quality of our country’s governance, one that can either greatly advance or set back our country’s long-term democratic development.
As forces mandated to ensure internal and external peace, it is your duty to ensure that no internal or external force, either before or during the elections, is allowed to destabilise the most fundamental principle defining credible elections: that of having the free expression of the will of the people.
It is possible for some elements in society to employ certain electoral malpractices that could undermine our electoral integrity for selfish reasons and to destabilise national security.
As the armed forces, you have professional skills, equipment, training and the management capacity to discern such elements hell-bent to destabilise internal peace by undermining electoral transparency, inclusivity, and accountability.
I do not need to remind you that it is your mission to maintain peace without becoming a danger to the electorate or to the state.
In the past, as the armed forces, you played a broader role, not only protecting our national territory from invasion, but also potentially conducting offensive warfare in the context of military alliances. However, as you are aware, in contemporary international affairs offensive warfare has become increasingly rare, and acts of aggression are illegal under international law.
As a result of these trends, as well as of changes in the relationship between the armed forces and society, you, the armed forces, are now supposed to focus on national defence.
It is your mission as the armed forces to provide internal security and stability.
Before and during elections anything is possible. We saw, not long ago, how the ruling party gassed and killed people as a strategy to destabilise the country to make it easier for them to hold onto their power.
What will stop the same elements from doing so again before or during the elections?
As citizens, we expect the armed forces to respond professionally to pre-electoral and electoral machinations that have the potential to trigger violent internal threats to the state or public, as we have witnessed in other countries including Malawi.
Fear of losing power could persuade politicians to engage in practices that could jeopardise internal security.
As a professional military that is aware of the changing role of the armed forces in society today, you are expected to supplement this primarily civilian operation decisively to allow for free and fair elections.
It goes without saying that it is your mission to assist in law-enforcement before and during elections by enhancing public order operations, border control, and intelligence gathering as a way of promoting civil defence.
As the armed forces, you should be able to respond conclusively to national emergencies threatening internal security.
Never, under your watch, should some elements in society cause internal security threats, such as violence against innocent citizens or political competitors, or in acts of organised crime against the state.
Pre-election time and during the elections are the moments when you can prove your new roles, responsibilities, and relevance to the state by extending your military competencies to maintain internal peace.
As the armed forces you should always be adequately prepared to uphold internal peace.
Keep an eye on the culture of the abuse of state power, including the militarisation of political cadres who have hijacked not only your military fatigues but your titles and the application of military force on citizens.
As professional armed forces you have to be ready at all times for this internal national defence mission.
Praise for the armed forces who stand ready to help in keeping peace in our land.
CIC PRESS TEAM