By MAIMBO MWEEMBA
The British high commissioner to Zambia Nicholas Wooley has predicted that the country risks having a non-free and fair election if an equal playing field is not created.
Mr Wooley says that they did an independent assessment on the Copperbelt were it was discovered that there is selective application of the law by the police in terms of holding political campaigns.
“The Copperbelt incident were the UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema was being prevented by the police to hold to hold a political gathering is an infringement of fairness to elections,” he said.
Mr Wooley has since advised the police against selective application of the law in this year’s general elections.
“If we are going to see free and fair elections, there is a need for all political parties, be it opposition or the ruling to have a level playing field, equal access to the public media so that they can reach their supporters, and the must police to be neutral and avoid applying the law selectively,” he said.
Mr Wooley also advised the government to take a lead in holding free and fair elections in August, by allowing the opposition equally mobilizes their supporters without any intimidation.
