Newly appointed spokesperson for the PF Election and Media Technical Committee, Amos Chanda has dismissed assertions by some foreign media organizations that the executive decision by President Edgar Lungu to deploy defence forces on the streets to work along with police ,will give PF undue advantage over the opposition in next Thursday’s polls .
Speaking at a briefing, Chanda, who is also former special assistant to the president for press and public relations said President Lungu had a constitutional mandate to protect the lives and property of the citizens.
“Some of the misrepresentations that have occurred in the foreign media in recent weeks, particularly regarding the electoral process and the unfair advantage that is being alleged against the opposition and attributed to the Patriotic Front…we want to state from the outset that, for the PF, we do understand that democracy itself is premised on durable peace and stability of the country which is why we support the decisions of the president to enhance the security of the country, “Chanda said.
He said peace was paramount for any sensible elections to be held.
“In the absence of peace and stability, you cannot talk about any credible electoral process. So for PF, it is fully in support of the executive decisions of President to ensure that paramount among everything, is to ensure there is peace and stability. We wanted to state that, because we have seen it in the foreign media, being misrepresented as unfair advantage to the ruling party,” said Chanda.
“Those of our foreign friends in the foreign media who have anything to discuss with us, we are available,” he said.
And Chanda said that all foreign observers were welcome in the country to monitor the Thursday polls.
“We want to make sure nothing is done to misrepresent us because you did not have access to us.”
In welcoming his appointment Chanda said, it was meant to broaden the communication channels with both the local and foreign media.
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