SACCORD in Zambia calls on all political players to engage in peaceful elections

SOUTHERN AFRICAN CENTRE FOR CONSTRUCTIVE RESOLUTION OF DISPUTES (SACCORD) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR LEE HABASONDA HAS CALLED ON ALL POLITICAL PLAYERS IN THIS YEARS’ ELECTION TO ENGAGE IN PEACEFUL ELECTIONS AS THE COUNTRY HEADS TOWARDS THE GENERAL AND PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS.

MR. HABASONDA SAYS LEADERS OF POLITICAL PARTIES SHOULD ARRANGE FOR A MEETING AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE TO IRON OUT ANY DIFFERENCES THEY MAY HAVE AHEAD OF THIS YEAR'S POLLS.

HE SAID AMONG THE ISSUES TO BE TABLED IS THE LANGUAGE OF INSULTS WHICH HE SAID IS DEMEANING AND HAS THE EFFECT OF INCITING FOLLOWERS TO BELIEVE THAT THE USE OF INSULTS IS AN ACCEPTABLE CULTURE OF POLITICS IN THE COUNTRY.

HE SAID THIS IS CONTRIBUTING TO LACK OF MUTUAL RESPECT, INTOLERANCE AND BREAK DOWN OF LAW AND ORDER IN THE COUNTRY THEREBY FUELING VIOLENCE, A THING HE SAID SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED IN THIS COUNTRY.

MR HABASONDA STATED THAT SINCE ZAMBIA HAS BEEN A HAVEN OF PEACE SINCE INDEPENDENCE, FRUSTRATED AND UN PRINCIPLED POLITICIANS SHOULD NOT BE GIVEN CHANCE TO DISTURB THE PEACE THE COUNTRY HAS BEEN ENJOYING FOR MANY YEARS.

MR. HABASONDA APPEALED UPON ALL POLITICAL LEADERS IN THE COUNTRY TO REFRAIN FROM AMONG OTHERS THINGS USING ABUSIVE LANGUAGE, INCITEMENT OF HATE, DEFAMATORY ALLEGATIONS AND PROVOCATIVE LANGUAGE AS THEY DO THEIR CAMPAIGNS THIS YEAR.

AND MR. HABASONDA SAID ALL POLITICAL PARTIES HAVE BEEN TO DISCLOSE TO THE PUBLIC THEIR SOURCE OF FUNDING AS THE COUNTRY APPROACHES THIS YEARS’ ELECTION FOR THE PURPOSE OF TRANSPARENT.

HE SAID THAT IT WAS REGRETTABLE THAT ZAMBIA HAS NO LAW WHICH RESTRICTS POLITICAL PARTY FUNDING AND DISCLOSURE OF THEIR SOURCE OF FUNDING, A THING HE DESCRIBED AS NOT IDEAL IN A DEMOCRATIC NATION LIKE ZAMBIA.

HE SAID POLITICAL PARTIES NEED TO BE TRANSPARENT IN THE WAY THEY SOURCE THEIR FUNDING TO RUN THEIR PARTIES ADDING THAT SACCORD WOULD LIKE TO SEE A SITUATION WHERE POLITICAL PARTIES ARE GETTING FUNDING BASED ON LEGAL AND PRINCIPLED POSITIONS.

HE OBSERVED THAT THE ORGANISATION WAS CONCERNED WITH THE MANNER PARTIES GET THEIR MONEY FOR THEIR POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS STATING THAT UNPRINCIPLED PARTIES MIGHT END UP SELLING THE COUNTRY BY GETTING FUNDING FROM GANGS OF CRIMINALS THEREBY JEOPARDIZING THE SECURITY OF THIS COUNTRY.

MEANWHILE, MR. HABASONDA HAS CALLED ON CHIEFS IN THE COUNTRY TO DESIST FROM INVOLVING THEMSELVES IN PARTISAN POLITICS BECAUSE THEY ARE CUSTODIAN OF OUR CULTURE AND TRADITIONAL VALUES.

HE SAID CHIEFS IN THIS COUNTRY HAVE BEEN ISSUING POLITICAL STATEMENTS ESPECIALLY ABOUT PREFERRED CANDIDATES IN THE FOURTH COMING ELECTIONS AND THAT THEY ARE UNDERMINING THE BASIS ON WHICH THEY DRIVE THEIR AUTHORITY.
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