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VIOLENCE DOES AFFECT VOTER TURNOUT, VOTING AND VOTE COUNTING, ECL HAS A POINT

Dear Editor,

IT is an undisputed fact that electoral violence affects turnout, voting and vote choice.

What happened in North-Western Province where Patriotic Front members were killed during the voting period cannot be ignored because it affected voting behaviour in one way or another.

One of the victims, Mr Jackson Kungo was not just a mere member of the Patriotic Front in North-Western Province, he was provincial chairman.

His death did disturb the PF and their voters during the voting period. Some PF members didn’t vote because they had to rush Mr Kungo to the hospital in trying to save his life and some reported the matter to the police.

His family and friends upon hearing the sad news had to stop voting to go and find out what was really going on.

Some sensitive people left the polling station for their homes to protect themselves and loved ones from the violence they witnessed. The death of Mr Kungo did affect the election so calling the election unfair is right.

It would be hypocritical to deny the fact that his death during voting time would not psychologically affect voters.

President Edgar Lungu and the PF have every right to complain over the death of their leader and ECZ should give them an ear because they were emotionally, physically and mentally and politically affected by the death of Mr Kungo.

Violence should never be a tool to use to get to power. Had it happened to the UPND, I was also going to call for the ECZ to give them an ear if they complained.

To avoid creating a bad precedent that an opposition political party should kill to get into office, ECZ should make a strong ruling on this matter to guide future generations that violence does not win elections.

MACUS MOONO.

Author

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