UNIVERSITY of Zambia (UNZA) students on March 11 held a march from the university grounds to Manda Hill to denounce violence ahead of this year’s general elections.
UNZA Students Union president Timothy Lumba said in an interview on March 11 that students wanted to remind the Zambian society that there is no better ingredient in national development than peace and stability.
Mr Lumba said the march past was predicated on showing solidarity for peaceful elections following the political violence the country experienced in by-elections in Mufumbwe and Chilanga.
He said it is important for Zambia to maintain its reputation for peace in Southern Africa and the entire world.
“Our country is a model of peace unmatched. It is an example in terms of unity in diversity amid political differences,” Mr Lumba said.
He urged youths not to be lured into political violence by politicians.
“We organised the march to caution youths that they should not be used as tools of violence by politicians,” Mr Lumba said.
He said the students wanted to send a message to their fellow youths ahead of this year’s Youth Day which falls on March 12. Mr Lumba said violence is retrogressive.
He urged politicians to avoid politics of slander and character assassination as the country prepares for the general elections as it does not add value to the pursuit of development.
Mr Lumba said politicians should instead engage in issue-based political campaigns.
He also said losers in the general elections should accept defeat and not resort to violence.
And Mr Lumba has denounced people advocating political violence before, during and after this year’s elections.
He said this at a sensitisation campaign for a bigger peaceful demonstration slated for March 18. The demonstration will be held in partnership with other student organisations and youth groups in Lusaka.
“This year, Zambia celebrates 47 years of independence and holds its tripartite elections.
Since independence in 1964 and the introduction of multi-party politics in 1991, our electoral process has been free of violence.
“That is not to say the process has been without shortcomings. Our people have demonstrated, despite the odds, that the ties that bind us together by far supersede political affiliation,” Mr Lumba said.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
well done unza students for once. VIOLENCE IS NOT THE ANSWER!!
Who is in a habit of stoning peoples vehicles along East Road? First check your self and start talking to your fellow students who like behaving like KAPONYAS .Am happy you have realised that Violence especially using stones is for stone age KEEP IT UP .
This chap will make money this year because MMD is desperate and confused. Fortunately,UNZA ni DONTCH KUBEBA. They will eat their money and vote for SATA. He was bribed by a Brasil trip.
His message is good for VIOLENT PARTIES THAT CONTESTED MUFUMBWE AND CHILANGA because Mporokoso was peaceful.
IFWE NI PABWATO AND SATA come 2011.
Hope you will not resort to violence yourselves whenever aggrieved like has been your stone age behaviour all along.
Message to all millitant parties.
UPND and MMD are to blame for political voilence in Mufumbwe and Chilanga by elections.where ever PF has stood for by elections,there has been few reported cases in Milanzi,Mpulungu and Mporokoso…PF is a peaceful party,i recall SATA once told his supports to stop any violence acts after Mwanawasa was declared WINNER.Dont put a bad tag on PF or SATA..i will only support a party who will elect there leaders thru a CONVENSION
Imwe ba figili akujobeni fye mwala wilamo fye.
Hypocrisy at its best ba monko.
The only way to guarantee peace this year is to have a proper and transparent voting system where election results are given by midnight the same day.In addittion the ECZ should be dissolved and replaced with an independent one constituted by the 3 church mother bodies, civil society ,FFTUZ,ZCTU and 50 % plus one
anything else means TUNISIA ,EGYPT ,BAHRAIN ,ZIMBABWE,KENYA all over again lets learn from other countries . When people are pushed too far they can react who knew that people of Barotseland would react that way let us learn ….a stitch in time saves nine.
Go rural and buy hammermills PF then we will dislodge MMD. Other than that Thandiwe will be rejoicing! SATA, SATA, SATA for President!
Well done UNZA students although i know nimaseting’i chabe iam sure the students will soon ask for a favour from GOVT failure to which azavivuka!!! But MMD please this time give the old man SATA the position u have stolen from him more than twice, in order to avoid violence give the winner the Presidency, otherwise dont take us for granted this year. Our leader is old and if he loses this yr do u think he will come back in 2016?
ba zedman u don’t even vote there in chinaland so when yo sata loses just blame yourself.mmd has support except they are not as vocal as u pf kambwangas who just make noise.he is your leader together with your fellow losers and we also have our leader rb who only tried once and got it right!be rest assured sata is losing this again. meanwhile it’s rb nafuti nafuti!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ba UNZA you should also denounce your own violence. Stop stoning people’s cars each time you have a tiff with the goverment usually over monetary allowances. Your behaviour is inhuman and does not fit in a democratic society. We will only take serious your marches when you have rennounced your violence too. Lead by example.
Ba UNZA remember this year its PF. Go out in masses and campaign for Sata for real change to come to Zambia. You yourselves know that he is a man that is capable of delivering tangible results.
which youths..tell the PF chaps to behave or else William banda will chop them off..!
Police won’t issue them with a permit.