By SIMON MUNTEMBA
POLITICAL violence being experienced in some parts of the country can only be stopped if the known master minders are personally dealt with and have their political parties and candidates disqualified, the Young Africa Leaders Initiative (YALI) has said.
YALI president Andrew Ntewewe said the country had enough laws to curtail political violence but institutions mandated to implement the said laws lack teeth to bite.
Mr Ntewewe said in an interview that the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) and the Zambia Police should do more and ensure they implement laws that would guarantee free and fair elections devoid of political violence.
Mr Ntewewe said perpetrators of violence were not difficult to know because nearly all Zambians were privy of who the master minders were.
He challenged the police to identify and cage known political cadres that caused havoc in Mandevu Constituency to deter would be offenders.
Meanwhile, the Southern African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (SACCORD) has noted with dismay the high levels of violence on the political scene. SACCORD executive director Boniface Cheembe called for restraint and de-escalation among political parties, especially the PF and the UPND, and their followers in view of the rise of incidences of electoral violence in the country.
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