By James Kunda
LUSAKA, Zambia (AA) – The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) on Monday lifted the suspension of political campaigns for the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) and opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) in regions were violence was reported two weeks ago.
The ECZ had banned campaigns in the capital Lusaka, the town of Namwala in Southern Province, the town of Nakonde on Zambia’s border with Tanzania, and the town of Mpulungu along the shores of Lake Tanganyika due to cases of political violence.
Chief Electoral Officer Kryticous Patrick Nshindano told a virtual news conference from Lusaka that the commission had lifted the suspension following the satisfactory conduct of the political parties.
He also commended the signing of peace pacts between the parties to end political violence.
“However, due to fresh reports of political violence in Lusaka, the lifting of the two-week suspension will be partial. To this effect, the two political parties in Lusaka will only conduct media campaigns, and no physical campaigns will be done,” Nshindano said.
He repeated the emphasis that political rallies and roadshows remained banned to all political parties because of rising cases of COVID-19.
Nshindano also condemned the defacing and vandalization of political material such as posters, billboards and banners by rival camps.
He said the police should take interest in the matter as the vandalization of campaign material breached the right by parties to reach their audience.
He also condemned the rise of hate speech in political campaigns and urged the media to be alert and not to entertain such conduct.
The southern African nation of nearly 19 million people goes to the polls on Aug. 12, this year to elect new office bearers for the presidency, legislature and councils.
PF’s Edgar Lungu, who is the incumbent, and UPND’s Hakainde Hichilema, who has not succeeded in five attempts, are the frontrunners out of 16 candidates vying for the post of president.
None of the two or any officials from their political parties could issue an immediate response to Nshindano’s comments.
A deputy national campaign manager in Lungu’s camp, Given Lubinda, said previously that Lungu would not comment on any political matters until after the country buried its late founding President Kenneth Kaunda on July 7.
Hichilema had also announced a political layback soon after Kaunda’s death a week ago and has restricted public comments to tributes to the global icon.
Nshindano said the printing of ballot papers for the polls was expected to commence in Dubai this week.
