Zambians hope for peaceful polls ahead

On October 24, Zambia will be celebrating 47 years of independence and continue its record of four decades of peace. Zambia has never known civil war despite the 73 tribal diversity and 90 percent of people surviving on less than a dollar per day. The Zambian people are well known for their hospitality, in fact second republican president Dr Frederick Chiluba during his reign declared the country a 'Christian Nation' as a way of preserving peace. As the country prepares to celebrate its 47th birthday, the citizens are also bracing themselves for the presidential and parliamentary polls. Official political campaigns have not yet been launched (by the President) but tension can be felt in some places, a situation that is threatening the long preserved peace that Zambia is well celebrated for. The beginning of chaos in the country started with Western Province of Zambia, dominated by the Lozi tribe. The Lozi´s wanted to reinstate the 1964 Barotse Agreement which seeks to make the province independent in managing their resources. Government opposed to this, and the police fought running battles with stone throwing residents who protested government’s resistance to the agreement. The police resorted to using live ammunition that led to the killing of two people with over 70 arrested and charged with treason. Among those charged with treason, some have been acquitted, two have died (among them a juvenile) and others are still facing charges in courts. Just when the Barotse issue was going to 'sleep', police whose duty is to maintain law and order sparked another riot in Mazabuka, Southern of Zambia. Tear gas A policeman in full riot gear tear-gassed a pub where people were watching a football match between Manchester United and Chelsea. In the stampede that followed two people died, a development which incensed the public who rioted and demolished the Mazabuka police post. Before calm could return to the country, Lusaka's Garden compound residents were up in arms against the police, this time for letting a teenage detainee, who was falsely accused of loitering, die in custody. As if that was not enough the Drug Enforcement Commission, which is part of the country’s security wings, went in Garden compound for a drug cleanup, an operation which was resisted by the residents. In an effort to control the resistance, armed police officers opened fire and killed a seven year old child and wounding another. The 'killing wave' moved to the Luapula province in northern Zambia. This time the drama was set for Mansa town where residence killed three people and destroyed property worth of millions of dollars. The instant mob pounced on suspicion that they were involved in alleged ritual killings in the area. Rumours went around Mansa that ritual murderers hired by the suspected businessmen were on the loose in the area with a contract to kill 200 people. The riots that followed lasted four days with 10 police officers severely injured, two people shot dead by the police, one man suffocating in a crowded police cell and over 120 people arrested on murder charges while some were charged with malicious damage to private property. Botched constitution Amidst all this, parliament failed to enact a constitution that was going to see Zambia go into this year’s polls with a new statute. Some members of parliament rejected the draft constitution on the bases that it had excluded an economic and social Bill of Rights and the requirement that the president be elected by 50 percent plus one of votes cast, among other things. Away from the political scene, a social sport that sees enemies embracing in times of glory, was also thrown into disarray. In October last year four executives members of the Football Association among them the vice president resigned from the Kalusha Bwalya led executive citing poor leadership. The FA was subjected to constitutional scrutiny were it was rendered dysfunctional by the Sports mother body, the National Sports Council formed by an act of parliament. Kalusha refused to dissolve his executives leading to the formation of splinter group. The world soccer governing body FIFA then intervened by way of calling the aggrieved parties to a round table and resolved that a vote of no confidence be passed at the FA's annual general meeting. The first attempt to resolve the impasse failed as the two rival factions failed to meet under one roof. The AGM was later postponed to April 30, 2011. With hope of resolving the impasse that had gone on for over five months, all roads led to Kabwe, Central province of Zambia with FIFA observers taking note of the proceedings. The meeting that was meant to harmonize the running of football in the country culminated into further chaos. The vote of no confidence was ‘dubiously´ removed from the agenda a situation that led to the splinter group walking out of the meeting and declaring a formation of a parallel national football league. Despite all theses happenings Zambians are still hopeful for peaceful and fair elections that will see the lives of ordinary Zambians improve. Source: Chinemu Phiri, AfricaNews reporter in Lusaka, Zambia Photo: Zambia judiciary outfit < Prev   Next >