BRITISH High Commissioner Nicholas woolly says the UK government has no interest in issues of who will win or lose the August 2021 elections.
And Woolley says there should be no exemptions in the enforcement of Covid -19 regulations among political players by law enforcement agencies.
Speaking when he featured on a special programme on Millennium Television Station, Whoolly said his government was not looking out for any particular outcome at the end of the forth coming election.
He said the role of his government and that of election observers was to ensure that it supports the Zambian citizens in exercising their right to decide what they wanted to see in their democracy.
“We do not favour one candidate. We do not favour one party over another in these elections, that decision is solely for the Zambian people and we will never seek to interfere in that. What we do want to see however , is that, as a friendly Zambia, and a fellow democracy, an electoral process that is in line with fundamental rights and freedoms,” Whoolly said.
He said the UK government’s focus was on Zambia’s stability and its economic prospects.
“No one is challenging government business to continue, nor the need for measures to reduce the risk of Covid, but many Zambians have concerns that we are seeing those rules and restrictions applied unevenly and its concerns that we share,” said Whoolley.
The British envoy warned that excess use of police force in managing electoral related incidents could lead to a spike in cases of violence.
“Those (use of force) don’t necessarily reduce the risk, but potentially heighten the risk of future tension,” he said.
He said he appreciated that police were facing a difficult challenge of managing electoral crowds but insisted that police ought to be cautious.
“No one is challenging the need for government business to continue. I mean clearly government still needs to operate and nor is anyone challenging the need for measures to be take in terms of protecting citizens from Covid, but we in an official elections campaign period,” he said.
“The health risks of Covid are still the same. The virus doesn’t distinguish and nor should we.”
Meanwhile Whoolley said his government is elated with the increase in the number of Zambian citizens going for vaccination.
Whoolley said development was a sign that people were now correctly enlightened on the imperative need to get inoculated.
“As the death and critical cases soar, information about the dangers of COVID-19 is now being perceived in the correct context,” he said.
“The cold hand of death has claimed traditional leaders, church leaders and ordinary congregants, community leaders, politicians and the general citizenry in a manner that is sending a strong signal across the country.”
He said citizens had realised that deaths and critical illnesses were affecting close relatives, friends, neighbours, workmates and people they are able to relate with in one way or the other.
