By Richard Aaron Ngoma
Three World powers and Zambia’s traditional Western development partners that also have a major stake on the Southern African nation’s major International creditors such as the World Bank, the IMF and Zambia’s Bondholders, have mounted simultaneous pressure on President Edgar Lungu, to level the playing field ahead of the 2021 Presidential election.
US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo, British Minister for African and Commonwealth affairs James Duddridge and the European Union Ambassador to Zambia Jacek Jankowski have all expressed deep concern at Zambia’s non compliance on the democratic process regarding the electoral systems that allows for a free, fair and transparent election.
Secretary Pompeo warned that the United States would isolate individuals that interfere in the democratic process with specific personal sanctions, including visa restrictions and other unspecified consequences. In a press statement posted on the State Department’s website, Pompeo maintained that the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression and association were at the heart of a functioning democracy and that adhesion to basic freedoms and the rule of law was key to citizens’ rights to engage in free electioneering and political dialogue.
The UK Minister who is on a visit to Zambia expressed serious concerns on the restrictions for freedom of expression and urged President Edgar Lungu to maintain Zambia’s democratic credentials and a level playing field in readiness for the 2021 elections. He made the remarks when he met the leader of Zambia’s biggest opposition party the UPND, Hakainde Hichilema in Lusaka on Friday 9th October 2020 in Lusaka.
And European Union Ambassador to Zambia Jacek Jankowski urged that the electoral process allows for consensus building and dialogue for all political players inorder to avoid misrepresentations and disputes ahead of the election. Ambassador Jankowski was speaking on a special programme on Capital FM radio in Lusaka on Friday.