POLITICAL PARTIES SIGN ANOTHER PEACE PLEDGE AHEAD OF AUGUST POLLS
By Chileshe Mwango
All political parties participating in the August 2021 general elections have once again pledged to ensure this year’s elections are held in a peaceful atmosphere devoid of the violence that has characterized past elections.
The pledge was made at a Peace Pledge Signing Ceremony by presidential candidates of political parties contesting the 2021 general elections organized by the coalition for peaceful elections in Zambia and held in Lusaka today.
Speaking when she officiated the signing ceremony, Commonwealth Secretary General Patricia Scotland reminded political party leaders that Zambia has since independence been a fulcrum of peace in the region adding that the country has in the last 30 years also been a model at peaceful multiparty transition.
Ms. Scotland Zambia’s there is opportunity in consolidating Zambia’s democracy and continue building on it and the peace pledge where the leaders have committed to is one avenue that can be achieved.
And speaking on behalf of the church mother bodies, Former Evangelical Fellowship Of Zambia President Bishop Paul Mususu appealed to youths in the country to surrender their machetes to the police saying the church is aware that the youths have armed themselves in readiness to attack each other.
Meanwhile, UPND President Hakainde Hichilema says it is essential that the negative and corrosive environment which does not allow for peaceful election is contained.
And PF Secretary General Davies Mwila says the ruling party has directed its supporters to conduct issue based campaigns as it wants to win elections in a fair and peaceful atmosphere.
But the new hope mmd has refused to append its signature to the peace accord saying it will not do so until the PF through Former Environment, Water And Sanitation Minister Raphael Nakacinda stop provoking them.
Party Vice president Reuben Samboko said yesterday Mr. Nakacinda was asking mmd supporters to support the pf in this year’s election the move the mmd vice president says is an act of provocation.
And 3rd Liberation Party president Enock Tonga walked out of the peace talks making only fourteen political parties so far to have signed the peace agreement.
The peace pledge seeks to obtain commitment from all presidential candidates to uphold peace before, during and after elections and has been organized by the coalition for peaceful elections in zambia, supported by the commonwealth and the united nations and co-convened by the church mother bodies and the zambia center for interparty dialogue among others.
PHOENIX NEWS
