Violence a threat to national unity
…As academicians proposes the formation of ground rules to govern political activities
By Francis Maingaila
Lusaka (27-11-18) Some renowned academicians and political Scientists in Zambia have called out the agly face of violence and advised the government to urgently device mechanism to end acts of terror by party mercenaries.
Addressing journalists at a Frederick Ebert Stuffing (FES) sponsored event organised by the Southern Africa Centre for Constructive Resolution of Dispute (SACCORD) public discussion under the theme, political violence: is Zambia’s Democracy under threat, the scientist that includes Noel Simutanyi and Euston Chiputa said the continued existence of political violence is endangering the peace Zambia has enjoyed in the last 54 years.
For example Chiputa who is also university of Zambia historian believe violence is being natured by some members of the executive because it is highly beneficial to the ruling party.
Chiputa observed that for many years violence has been used by parties that have ruled Zambia as a tool of victory.
He stated that cadres are aways sponsored to cause terror and pave way for the ruling parties to maintain control the political scene.
He suggested that the perception of violence has not changed from what it has been in the past.
Dr. Chiputa is of the view that the political violence has continued to mount only thàt the perception people have of violence remained the same.
He alleged that the police are not doing enough to stop violence because they want to protect the interest of the ruling party.
Speaking at the same event Simutanyi told journalists that the appointment of the inspector general of the police speak volumes on how the performance of the police.
“When the country has an IG who is appointed on political interest, you don’t expect to see the professional police operating in the country.”
Simutanyi proposed the design of a new law that will allow the appointment of the police chief outside the political lines.
He also suggested the formation of ground rules to govern the political activities in the country and further observed that at the moment, parties are operating in the manner the people that found them wants.
He proposed that the local authority should be in charge of public places including bus stations and markets as a way of ending violence.
Similarly, he proposed the need for engaging the youth in productive ventures saying this will refrain the youth from engaging into violence.
Meanwhile Simutanyi has criticised the manner in which the national assembly handled the impeachment motion which was filed against president Edgar Lungu.
Simutanyi suggested that it was an oversight on the part of the speaker to put a caveat on the impeachment motion by way of allowing the court injunctions to stop the debate.
Simutanyi observed that it was the same speaker of national assembly that overlooked the court order at the time when a motion to remove the immunity of former president Rupiah Banda.
He said the speaker’s action was in bad faith when he stopped an impeachment motion against President Lungu but allowed the removal of Ruphia Banda’s immunity.
Simutanyi suspects that the reason why there such disparities in the observance of the law was the excessive powers vested in the president.
“With such powers in place,the president can make pronouncements of sabotage the function of state nstitutions,” he said.
Simutanyi further alleged that the impeachment was stopped because the president could have advised the speaker to cast a blind eye on the parliamentary procedures and follow the court which he earlier overruled.
He further suspects the president could have stopped the motion from being debated because he feared some of his MPs could have sided with the opposition to punish him.
He indicated that stopping the motion shòws that the complaints the people that filed the motion was genuine and did not want the motion to go ahead for fear of the outcome if the motion was allowed to proceed.