NUMBER 30                                     AUGUST, 2001

By Madube Pasi Siyauya

General Elections and by-elections are generally characterised by violence. As Zambia runs up to the 2001 presidential and general elections, the issue of violence is a critical matter that needs attention.

The Electoral Code of Conduct part 7 (1) provides that a person shall not "cause violence or use any language or do any kind of action which may lead to violence or intimidation during election campaigns or elections, carry or display arms or weapons of any kind at a political meeting or in the course of any march, demonstration or other event of a political nature. A person shall not make false defamatory or inflammatory allegations concerning any person or party in connection with an election, but shall confine criticism and comments to policies and programs of the parties. They shall not arrange a public meeting, demonstration, rally or march at the same time and venue as another similar political event organised by another party".

Electoral Commission of Zambia Chairperson Judge Bobby Bwalya in his speech to youths who were attending the Anti- Voter Apathy project (AVAP) workshop said he hopes that the youth in Zambia would set an example during this year’s campaigns and elections by desisting from violent acts during the campaigns and elections to ensure that the elections are conducted in a peaceful environment.

Youths are said to be used for violent purposes in political parties. AVAP in conjunction with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAF) organised a four day inter party workshop for youth election campaign management strategies. The theme of the workshop was to strategize for a winning formula for the youths of Zambia in 2001.

The youths at the workshop were dressed in black T -shirts in protest against political leaders who had over stayed in power.

The youths from ten political parties come together in unity to acquire leadership qualities that would enable them divert their energies from acts of violence by standing as councillors and members of parliament in this year’s general elections.

Several youths talked to at the workshop said for a long time now youths had been used as instruments of violence during campaigns. Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) youth Mike Mposha condemned the violence that occurred during elections. He said the aim of youths coming up is to stop using them as tools of violence. He said the older politicians usually say the youths are the leaders of tomorrow, the thing youths would like to stop. He said if youths were given leadership positions in the party, they would not be used in acts of violence.

Mposha, who was Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) Munali constituency Youth Chairperson, said the people in high positions in political parties use their money on poverty stricken youths to perpetrate violence during elections. He said these leaders do not send their children to perpetrate the violence because they know the consequences of such acts. He warned youths that if they involved themselves in acts of violence, they tarnish their names and people would not vote for them if they wished to stand for elections.

Mposha said during his time in the MMD when Dr Boniface Kawimbe was against the third term for President Chiluba, Youth Chairpersons from all over Lusaka were mobilised and given K250,000, and a bus each to organise youths to buy a coffin and protest against Kawimbe. He said Lusaka District Administrator Stephen Bwalya mobilised the youths.

Mposha said the other cause of violence in political parties is the people appointed to leadership positions who come from bus stations. He said such people are used to violence in the bus stations and they cannot behave like intellectuals when they assume their leadership positions.

He said the United Nations Independent Party (UNIP) had vigilantes who used to perpetrate violence and these are the people who brought UNIP down.

United Party for National Development (UPND) youth Sibote Sibote said youths in Zambia should now use their skills to get to be leaders instead of being used in violence. He said poverty is the major cause of violence because the youths who are hired to beat up others are paid and forced into the acts for economic gains.

Kelvin Mwenya a youth from Zambia Republican Party (ZAP) said youths are being used as sacrificial lambs for violence in political parties. He said youths have a lot of problems which should be addressed. He said youths should assume leadership positions so that they can address their needs instead of being involved in violence.

AVAP Executive Director Bonny Tembo said the issue of violence during campaigns and elections is there because that is how a particular political party came into being. He said political parties that are formed out of frustrations would always fight those who frustrated them. He said the other cause of violence during elections is lack of preparedness among political parties. He said some political parties if not prepared want to use shortcuts in the electoral process.

The use of vulgar language also causes fights during campaigns. He said some political parties insult others instead of telling the people what they will do for them. He said this causes the others to respond by violence.

Tembo said the Electoral Code of Conduct only allows the republican President and his vice to use government resources during campaigns and elections. He said when DAs and members of parliament use government vehicles during election, the opposition are not happy and they start throwing stones at government vehicles.

Tembo said police are not doing their job. He sighted the violence in Chawama were police took statements from the victims but have not made any arrests. He said the people who were involved in the violence in Chawama are people who do not stay there who were ferried from other places. Tembo condemned the system of ferrying party cadres from other constituencies to where the elections are being held. He said these cadres know that the people in these constituencies do not know them. He said there is need for civic education on conflict management in political parties.

Tembo also agreed with the youth that senior party officials use the poverty-stricken youths in acts of violence. He said it is not only the ruling party that is involved in violence, opposition parties are also involved.

Tembo said the police should insure that the Electoral Code of Conduct is implemented. He said ECZ has no judicial powers to enforce the Code of Conduct.

Police Service spokesperson Lemmy Kajoba has assured the nation that the police would be in Kabwata during the September by-elections to maintain law and order.

Kajoba cautioned every one to desist from any behaviour that will be perceived as instigating violence. He said political parties should take a role in restraining their cadres from acts of violence.

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