By MAIMBO MWEEMBA
British high commissioner to Zambia Nicholas Wooley has urged stakeholders in the electoral process to take a strong stand against violence in this year’s elections.
Mr Wooley said that there is need to uphold the rule of law in order to have credible polls anchored with democratic principles.
“It is fundamental that every political player is allowed to have freedom of expression and a stand against violence is taken, it is also important for stakeholders to ensure that the August polls are violence free,” he said.
Mr Wooley said that all stakeholders should call out violence and condemn it in strongest terms possible so that peace prevails.
“It is also important that a level playing field is provided for all parties to campaign, even though we have restrictions necessitated by the third wave of the coronavirus pandemic, but this should not be selectively applied, regulations and restrictions should affect everyone, including all political parties,” he said.
The country has so far witnessed incidences of violence during this campaign period, where the opposition UPND and the PF have mostly clashed.
