OYV applauds ECZ for threatening to stop campaigns
PF Cadre attempting to attack the UPND campaign team in Muchinga province
Operation Young Vote (OYV) has applauded the stance taken by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to threaten political parties of stop election campaigns if they continue engaging in violence.
OYV Executive Director Guess Nyirenda in a statement below to Zambian Eye said the warning has come at the right time.
Below is the statement in full:
The stance taken by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) on the on the spate of electoral violence happening in the country is not only commendable and elating to stakeholders in the electoral process but also seen as confidence building ingredient in the process.
While the announcement by the ECZ is long overdue Operation Young Vote is delighted that it could not come later than now especially that this has come after the advent of the Violence Must Fall Campaign which OYV and other stakeholders launched on Thursday, 16 June, 2016.
ECZ’s warning of political parties of suspending campaigns and/or disqualifying political parties that are perpetrating violence is long overdue. ECZ being the institution mandated by law to be responsible of the electoral process and elections should take charge and be seen to be in control of the process as a good referee takes control of a soccer match. It is our considered view that the ECZ should not shy away from naming and shaming and disqualifying the culprits as the institution is well backed by law. To maintain the credibility and integrity built by the institution over a long period of time the ECZ should ensure that all parties including and especially the PF must be made to work within the laws and not commit violence with impunity whose acts are degenerating Zambia into civil strife especially that the police have abandoned their duty of maintaining law and order.
The bold stance by the ECZ is in consonance with our Violent Must Fall Campaign whose objective among others is to advocacy, lobby and demand that the duty bearers act promptly and appropriately on all forms of electoral violence. Indeed such are steps that will cleanse our electoral process of unacceptable and detrimental vices. Indeed violence must fall. With concerted efforts Violence Must Fall
Guess Nyirenda (Mr.)
Executive Director
OPERATION YOUNG VOTE