By JOHN KOMBE
POLITICAL parties must stick to issue-based politics and seek inter-party dialogue on pertinent issues such as the lacunas in the constitution rather than promoting conflicts to ease tension in the country, says the Zambia Centre for Interparty Dialogue (ZCID).
ZCID chairperson Jackson Silavwe made the observation in an interview yesterday and said that political parties must ensure that they expend their energies on issues that are pertinent to democracy and development.
Mr Silavwe said that political parties must avoid engaging in actions that promote tension.
He pointed out that the citizens expected political parties to provide leadership on issues that affect the nation and cited the lacunas in the constitution such as the question of the term of office for the President, the issue of by-elections as some issues that needed to be ironed out.
He wondered why the country should continue to entertain by-elections when the money used for such elections was more than that which can be used to pay meal allowances for university students.
Mr Silavwe said t politicians must be preoccupied with issues that promote good governance and democracy rather than mudslinging and name-calling.
Mr Silavwe observed that both the ruling and opposition political parties must be seen to uphold the tenets of good governance if the country was to move forward.
The ruling party, he said, must lead the way by insisting on issue-based politics because this will set a tone for other political parties.
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