Political campaigns in Zambia put on hold over violence

A Zambian Policeman apprehends an alleged looter in the Zingalume Compound where residents have attacked broken and looted foreign-run shops in Lusaka on April 18, 2016. Political campaigning in Lusaka has been suspended for 10 days because of violent clashes ahead of next month’s national polls. PHOTO | AFP

What you need to know:

  • The run-up to the election has been marred by clashes between supporters of the ruling Patriotic Front and the opposition United Party for National Development.
  • On Friday, police opened fire on UPND supporters, killing one person, after the party refused to cancel a campaign meeting in Chawama, Lusaka.
  • No public rallies, meetings, processions or door-to-door campaigning would be allowed, electoral commission spokesman Cris Akufuna said.

LUSAKA

Political campaigning in Zambia’s capital Lusaka has been suspended for 10 days because of violent clashes ahead of next month’s national polls, the electoral commission announced at the weekend.

The ban comes less than three weeks after Zambia’s biggest independent newspaper, The Post, was shut down by the authorities over a tax dispute — a move seen as an attempt to silence it before the August 11 vote.

The run-up to the election has been marred by clashes between supporters of the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) of President Edgar Lungu and the opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) led by Hakainde Hichilema.

On Friday, police opened fire on UPND supporters, killing one person, after the party refused to cancel a campaign meeting in Chawama, Lusaka.

POLITICAL VIOLENCE
“The electoral commission of Zambia has observed with dismay the rise in political violence in some districts, which has regrettably resulted in injury, loss of life and property,” commission spokesman Cris Akufuna said in a statement released late on Saturday.

No public rallies, meetings, processions or door-to-door campaigning would be allowed, Akufuna said.

Hichilema’s adviser Douglas Syakalima told AFP the decision to suspend campaigning had been made “in bad faith” and was taken to avoid embarrassment for Lungu, as his meetings were poorly attended.
“The reason why he has suspended the campaigns is because he is scared that Lungu, the one you call a president, can’t have crowds in Lusaka,” Syakalima said.
Human rights activist Brebner Changala said police should use the break in campaigning to reconsider how they have been treating the opposition.