By GRACE CHAILE LESOETSA
UNITED Party for National Development (UPND) has written to the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to immediately lift suspension of its campaign in Ikeleng’i.
On Wednesday, ECZ suspended the UPND from any form of campaigns in Ikeleng’i in North-Western Province following escalating political violence.
The ECZ also suspended Sioma Independent parliamentary candidate Albert Amukena Mundia from any campaigns.
But UPND lawyer Marshal Muchende in a letter dated July 29, 2021 addressed to ECZ , termed the suspension as a harsh punishment as the party was not given a chance to be heard.
The letter was written through UPND lawyers Marshal Muchende of M Associates
“To the contrary however, our clients have not been furnished with any complaint lodged by anyone as required under paragraph 12 of the Electoral Code of Conduct for them to exculpate themselves and they wonder as to why you would take such a drastic measure without reaching out to them,” stated Mr Muchende.
The UPND stated that ECZ was quick to make the decision which was unfair when it had options of referring and reporting any violation of the Code to Zambia Police Service for investigations and prosecution.
It is on the premise of the foregoing, that you are now called upon to immediately lift the suspension of our clients‘ campaign programmes in Ikeleng’i aforesaid and follow the procedure of notifying them of any complaint and giving them an opportunity to be heard before meting out any harsh censure or punishment as complained above,” reads the letter.
