Zambian presidential candidate wants ban on top parties over violence

LUSAKA

Zambia’s sole woman presidential candidate Edith Nawakwi wants the electoral commission to ban the governing and the main opposition parties for perpetrating violence.

The campaigns for the August 11 General Election has been beset with political violence, mainly between the supporters of the governing Patriotic Front and the main opposition United Party for National Development (UPND).

The violence has involved physical confrontations, the pulling down of billboards and burning down of party offices and vehicles. “All these ugly scenes, Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) must show some teeth, suspend PF and UPND from participating in the election,” Ms Nawakwi told reporters in Lusaka on Sunday. Her comments came after her party’s candidate was physically attacked in an opposition stronghold south of the country.

“Zambians should not vote for bloodthirsty leaders. I think both PF and UPND are bloodthirsty going by their acts.” Ms Nawakwi, 56, said UPND’s retaliation against the alleged governing party violence could push President Edgar Lungu to put off the election, which move only stood to benefit the PF.

The University of Zambia economics graduate was Finance minister during the Frederick Chiluba era. She has pledged to boost agriculture and fight hunger if elected. Her attempt in 2011 to become president saw her garner a measly 0.2 per cent vote emerging seventh out of 10 candidates. ECZ Friday warned that it would be forced to suspend campaigns due to the escalating political violence.

The violence incidents have mainly involved the two main rival parties — ruling Patriotic Front and United Party for National Development — have been sporadic with a prominent one reported north of the country where ruling party supporters threw stones at the helicopter in the entourage of opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema of UPND. Mr Hichilema, 54, is incumbent Edgar Lungu’s main rival. 

A group of UPND supporters descended on governing party supporters and in the process smashed windows of their cars displayed on sale, local media reported. In a far north district of Isoka near the Tanzanian border, opposition supporters were again alleged to have set ablaze offices and cars belonging to the governing party, apparently in retaliation to the helicopter attack. 

A consortium of civil society organisations, Oasis Forum, which included a Catholics bishops’ body, said it was “extremely disturbed, appalled and greatly saddened by the increasing incidents of politically motivated violence in the run-up to the August 11 General Elections”.   

“Something drastic needs to be done sooner (rather) than later,” said a statement sent to newsrooms signed by Oasis Forum chairperson Fr Cleophas Lungu.