What the Electoral code conduct say on Supporters
The provisions of the Electoral Code of Conduct ahead of the Chilanga parliamentary bye-election every Monday. Today is provisions are on what the party supporters are supposed to do and not do to during campaigns.
REGULATION 4(2) of the electoral code of Conduct demands that “a member or supporter of a political party or a candidate shall not—
(a) Use language which incites hatred or violence in any form against any person;
(b) Issue any pamphlet, newsletter, poster or other propaganda which contains materials that incite people to violence or rebellion;
(c) Deface, remove or destroy campaign materials of another political party or publications of the Commission;
(d) Disrupt another political party’s rally, meeting, march or demonstration or seek to obstruct another person from attending a political rally of another political party;
(e) Continuously remain at a polling station during the campaign period or elections; and
(f) Wear any campaign materials within four hundred metres of the polling station on the polling day.
While sub regulation (3) of Regulation 4 outlines the punishment for engaging in the above don’ts and it states, “without prejudice to any other written law, any person who contravenes subparagraph (2) commits an offence and shall be liable upon conviction to a fine not exceeding one hundred thousand penalty units or to imprisonment not exceeding one year, or to both.”
GEARS Initiative will monitor the enforceability of this Code by the ECZ, POLICE and ACC while also monitoring its observance of adherence by Political parties, the candidates and supporters. At the end, it is to be able to note whether or not the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) and its partners have the competence, capacities and skills to make this electoral whip enforceable and effective to curb electoral malpractices such as violence, vote buying and mudslinging.