By Ryan Aliman
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa
LUSAKA, Zambia – On Wednesday, Zambian President Michael Sata urged his fellow Zambians to cease the this election season’s violence as he condemned the killing of Patriotic Front (PF) Monze District Vice-chairperson Harrison Chanda.
Chanda, a party youth secretary, was reportedly hacked on the head with an axe after being attacked by a group of people during his by-election campaign in Livingstone on Monday night.
“The person who has died in Livingstone is a human being like all of us. Let us do politics without violence, if you can’t convince people by talking, stones will not convince them, they will just scare away other people,” President Sata said. He also reminded political parties that “political violence would only cost the country the much needed development and scare away voters.”
According to the President, this is the first time he had to speak against political violence since 1968 when former President Kenneth Kaunda and African National Congress (ANC) leader Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula signed the Choma Declaration to introduce a one party State at the height of political unrest in the country.
“Zambia is very precious, we shall all come and go. Why are we killing each other? Stop fighting and stop killing each other. The blood of the person killed in Livingstone, does not show that its Bemba blood, or Tonga blood or Lozi blood. It’s the same blood, like Tongas say ‘bantu bomwe’ (we are one people),” the President stressed out.
Another incident that prompted the President statement was a riot protesting the arrest of Hakainde Hichilema, the leader of Zambia’s second-largest opposition group. Hichilema, head of the United Party for National Development (UPND), was brought to custody on Tuesday as a suspect for the murder of Chanda.
According to UPND spokesperson, Cornelius Mweetwa, “Hakainde was bundled into a police vehicle . . . [He] has been arrested and is currently under detention with all the people that were with him. His security personnel have also been arrested. As a result people are now rioting, calling for his release.”
Meetwa added that 20 people, including 2 parliamentarians, are currently in police custody over the killing of Chanda.
Because of the troubled state of the campaigns, the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) decided to postpone the Livingstone parliamentary by-election until order is restored. President Sata commended the ECZ’s decision, saying that it “should demonstrate to all that the ECZ is operating independently and that violence will not be condoned.”
For further information, please see:
AFP – Zambia calls for calm, postpones by-election amid bloodshed – 28 February 2013
All Africa – Zambia: Sata Condemns Campaign Violence – 28 February 2013
Arab News – Zambia president urges calm amid by-poll bloodshed – 28 February 2013
Zambia Reports – Damage Control Sata Praises ECZ on Livingstone by Election – 28 February 2013
Zambian Watchdog – Sata accuses UPND of profiting from violence – 28 February 2013
All Africa – Zambia: Maureen Lashes Out At Sata’s Intolerance – 27 February 2013
