POLITICAL party conventions have come and gone! They have all generally been peaceful.
The timeline set by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) shows that until May 14, 2021 no one individual or political party must engage in political campaigns. Everyone must play by the book.
Throughout the period; before, during and after the general elections, law and order must not only prevail, but must be strictly enforced. Chancers, spoilers and usurpers must not be given an inch to disrupt the peace we have enjoyed since Zambia’s birth in 1964.
The Zambia Police Service together with all other security wings, in the words of Minister of Home Affairs, Stephen Kampyongo, “must not look at political jackets,” they must only look at maintaining law and order!
Law enforcement agencies must be blind to political party affiliation; there should be no sacred cows. Any offender must be nabbed, tried in a competent court of law and, if found guilty, must face the wrath of the law.
What transpired on Wednesday, April 14, 2021 at the Ministry of Works and Supply must never happen again!
No one in Zambia should be made to feel unsafe, vulnerable and prone to intimidation, verbal or physical attack and any other vices that encroach on human rights and freedoms.
No one should live in fear whether at work, at home or anywhere in this country! No one should be made to feel inferior, to feel that they are lesser Zambians or lesser human beings than others.
People should be free to hold and express divergent political views, just as many Zambians have been able to express their opinions freely before.
However, those who work in the civil service need not espouse their political views at the expense of their work; for civil service workers must work for the government of the day.
Their political views must not fly in the face of their employment. Yet, even when this happens, there are adequate public service regulations, not outsiders, that should deal with such situations!
The August 12, 2021 general elections must be held in a free, fair and transparent manner, allowing voters to cast their votes without having to look over their shoulder!
A look at nearly 57 years of Zambia’s independence yields the fact that elections have always been peaceful generally. Some acrimony may have occurred along the way, but this did not overwhelm national security.
Whether it be ruling or opposition political parties, the rules of engagement are the same; there should be no room for anyone to behave otherwise.
Peace is not an ordinary commodity that you can buy for cash; it is a priceless valuable that is too precious to quantify in cash terms. Therefore, when an individual, or group of individuals or political parties transgress the law, they must be dealt with in line with existing laws.
Political campaigns come and go, and so do elections, but Zambians remain Zambians. The campaigns and elections must not be allowed to divide Zambians who have bonded together for more than half a century.
Politics should instead be used to unite the country’s rich, diverse ethnic identities. Whoever wishes to espouse or practice politics or campaigns based on region, ethnicity (tribe?), race, colour of the skin; such a one or group of people must be confined to the political doldrums of the past.
Zambians should leave no room whatsoever for such people, organisations or political parties.
Our traditional leaders and institutions, politicians, ordinary citizens, and all humans residing in Zambia must promote and practice peace. Everyone living in Zambia must be a peace ambassador.
Even when politicians reach their campaign crescendos, they must remain aware of the fact that they owe everything to Zambia, but Zambia does not owe them anything!
They must canvass for votes in their wards, constituencies and the entire republic realising that they need peace to practice democratic campaigns and elections; we all need peace even to vote for them.
No one should campaign in a manner that threatens peace and endangers the lives of their opponents and invariably their own, and those of other people. Everyone must work for peace, promote and practice peace for our democracy to deepen and thrive.
Our political leaders and private citizens must not preach a language of preventing others as candidates or voters from participating in the August 12 elections.
Those who feel so aggrieved about others competing in the forthcoming general elections should seek redress in the courts of law to determine right or wrong.
They should not make it look like they are the only ones who are right!
We must all allow the law enforcement agencies to do their work of ensuring that law and order prevails, but they also must ensure that there are no sacred political cows.
They should not see and fear political jackets, but they must see, respect and enforce law and order so that we can have free, fair and transparent elections come August 12, 2021.
It is law and order that is our insurance of peace!
