THE ALLEGED CHASING OF PF AGENTS FROM POLLING STATIONS IN SOUTHERN, NORTH-WESTERN AND WESTERN PROVINCES BY ALLEGED UPND CADRES A HOAX AND MALICIOUS
The allegations by President EDGAR CHAGWA Lungu that His PF polling agents in southern, western and North-western provinces were brutalized and chased from following the proceedings at the polling stations by their opponents the UPND is but a black lie coated with malice.
This is a lie and can’t be true in any slightest form or manner as personally as McDonald Chipenzi visited a number of polling stations in Chikankata, Siavonga and Chirundu and never witnessed anything like that.
In addition, as GEARS Initiative, we had monitors in all these polling stations in the 3 provinces being mentioned and both PF and UPND agents were there following the polling station proceedings without being chase, harassed or intimidated as is being alleged here by the President.
President Lungu must have received wrong Intelligence from some of his agents who want to justify their payment.
In any case if the informatin was true, ECZ would, by law demands, suspend elections in those alleged unconducive environments to holding of free and fair elections.
The fact that ECZ didn’t suspend any election at any polling Station on account of violence or unconducive environment but successful held the elections in all the 12152 polling stations is signal enough that the Electoral environment around and in all polling stations was generally conducive for the holding of free and fair elections.
As an organisation with monitors deployment in almost all polling stations in these provinces, we don’t subscribe to these allegations and ready to testify our findings over the allegations in any competent court.
Yes, isolated incidences of violence, disruptions and confrontation not against agents but among political party cadres and those ruling party officials delivering satellite phones at polling stations were witnessed in some polling stations across the country.
In any case if the President and his party are aggrieved with the results or the conduct of the August 12 General Election, there is a 14-day window for a presidential petition provided for him and his party to petition the results being declared and the unfree and unfair conduct of the election.
In this regard, ECZ must be allowed to announce and declare all results and the aggrieved parties can go to the constitutional court for redress and justice.
Therefore, I find the allegations as mere malicious opinions against the three provinces.
I submit
Chipenzi