The Ruling PAtritic Front (PF) has said that the party has decided supsend all public rallies in view of the Covid-19 health guidelines as provided by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) and the Ministry of Health (MoH).
In a statement released to the media today by the Party Secretary General Davies Mwila, the party said that in view of the suspension, party members should use other available platforms such as print and electronic media as well as door to door operations and cell meetings to campaign.
Below is the full statement
16th May, 2021
For immediate release
PF BANS POLITICAL RALLIES
This serves as official notification to all our members and the general public that the Patriotic Front has from today, 16 May, 2021 BANNED all PF public campaign rallies in view of the Covid-19 health guidelines as provided by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) and the Ministry of Health (MoH).
As you may be aware, the Electoral Commission of Zambia appointed a Technical Committee to work on the COVID-19 prevention measures in the electoral activities including public gatherings, nominations and voting.
The Technical Committee on mainstreaming of COVID-19 prevention measures in the 2021 general election calendar was established following a consultative meetings with the Ministry of Health.
According to the Ministry of Health, crowds and public gatherings are among the super spreaders of the COVID-19 virus. To this effect, the Patriotic Front has banned all its members from holding public campaign rallies to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
The Patriotic Front is a responsible and law-abiding political party as such we shall strictly adhere to all the regulations and health guidelines as provided by ECZ and MoH.
In view of the ban, we urge our members to use other available platforms such as print and electronic media as well as door to door operations and cell meetings to campaign.
With thanks.
////
Signed
Issued by:
Hon. Davies MWILA
PF Secretary General
What a lot of nonsense. You have been campaigning all along with ECL criss crossing the country in the name of empowerment. This stance is to blind side all opposition. We know you will use the security to stop everyone while PF continues empowerments under the same covid conditions. You won’t win in suppressing the vote. Kuyabebele!
mmmmmmm….they have been campaigning all along!
PF has been a Covid 9 superspreader party.Zambians should suspend them permanently for the massive economic damage they’ve done.
They have started their tactics as we predicted, these are people who have been campaigning like crazy even when covid number were high now as we approach elections they decide to do…next it will be internet shut down.
PF has been campaigning for a long time while denying other political parties permits to hold rallies.
Now that other parties have a right to campaign they hope to pressure them to also cancel their rallies and therefore PF will maintain their advantage.
Mwankole politics.
This is very responsible of the PF. I hope they and others can stick to this approach.
PF all sudden notice covid-19 guidelines …really laughable….just two weeks ago they were welcoming BUFFOON CK with a large crowd at the secretariat where they even had an all out punch up to open the celebrations even Jonas the Health Minister was there rubbing shadows with unmasked colleagues…today the say covid.
“You can foooool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not foooool all of the people all of the time.”
? Abraham Lincoln
Dirty tactics but kuya bebele.
This is a very wise move by the PF. Rallies are annoying, and I would rather masses stay safe. Look at how they are suffering in India and Brazil. Elections are annoying.
Thru “working visits”,project inspections and launching Empowerment Deals ECL and PF have been Campaigning thru out the Country inspite of Covid-19. Now that the Official Campaign Period has started PF want to weoponise Covid-19 to ban Opposition Parties from Campaigning. This is not how free,fair and Credible Elections are conducted. ECZ should have consulted all Stakeholders and agreed on a code of conduct for these Elections in view of WHO Covid-19 Guidelines. ECZ can’t stop Opposition Parties from Campaigning. Is ZNBC going to Air Opposition Parties Adverts? Which other ways of Campaigning is ECZ suggesting? U can’t have Credible Elections without allowing Opposition Parties to Campaign freely and explaining their messages to the Voters. ECL and PF have no Campaign messages…
After all the bridges and flyovers and police stations have been opened and blessed, NOW the corrupt PF decides to stop campaigning! After hundreds of members of the public caught the virus! Thank you so much!
For UPND, does it mean campaign means public rallies? Something is missing in your brains. How did they manage to campaign in USA without public rallies and yet the opposition won the elections? Maybe pwi pwi of Cows has bewitched you.
Great and responsible decision. I was part of the discussions we had to decide this and this has been done for the benefit of the country. Life is more important than campaigns. After all even without physical campaigns we all know pf is winning.
What message are the campaigners waiting to deliver? Electorates have already decided by now. It is just a matter of voting day to retire those who have aimlessly over stayed. Outcome results won’t be too different from those of 2016
We hope other parties will emulate our responsible stance. Especially that tribal party.
I also want to announce to you all that our dear mother, the vp will not be standing as running mate for our father ECL. This news will soon be published.
I have just come from state house. Napa sunday some of us work.
No corruption shut that chi ugly mouth of yours. You are talking about national development. Should we stop working for our people just because your tribal party is insecure? Fuseke
THIS IS POLITICS AT ITS DIRTIEST HOW LOWER CAN PF GO ????????????
PA*T’R10T1C F000lsssssssssssss
When ECZ talked about rallies I knew that sooner PF will take a position! The truth is there are no C19 control measures in Zambia except a few who largely wear masks wrongly! The PF government controls ZNBC which is no longer a National Broadcaster! The two government owned newspaper can write anything positive about the opposition..the only way opposition can reach the masses is direct campaign via rallies and should proceed so!
When I say PF and ECZ is one and the same people should take note!
BYE BYE INONGE WINA TIME UP LIKE PF00ls
THANK YOU FOR THE OUTDATED FIRE ENGINES
BYE BYE INONGE WINA T1ME UP LIKE P’F00ls
THANK YOU FOR THE OUTDATED FIRE ENGINES
BYE BYE INONGE WINA T1ME UP LIKE P’F00ls
THANK YOU FOR THE OUTDATED FIRE ENGINES
AND ABOUT TIME LT WAS SHOWN THE EXIT DOOR
If Life is more important than campaigns then lets postponed the elections till everybody has a vaccine.
Hello, we need to be safe and never. So the PF has demonstrated by banning the rally campaigns and those who want to continue with rallies go ahead
For sure PF think Zambians are fools. They have been campaigning all along when COVID was very high now they want to block others and use ECZ to enforce the undemocratic plan. Which other means can be used private stations, press shut down ZNBC is only for PF.
Am ready to be arrested for this corrupt party to be kicked out by attending the rallies.
Please go to YouTube listen to Chilufya Tayali confession and how ECL is not eligible to stand. He was elected under the 2015 constitution that had no time for a term. So he did 1 term by the time he was being relected in 2016 now he has finished 2nd term.
They are just scared of being booed since noone wants them anymore so this is the easy way out.
YOU SHAMELESS CREATURES, WHAT HONEST THING HAVE YOU EVER DONE, EVEN FOR A SECOND? THAT’S WHY I WOULD RATHER HAVE FIFA CONDUCT THESE ELECTIONS. NOT THESE PF UNFREE AND UNFAIR ELECTIONS, ANY WAY WE WILL NOT MISS YOU.
They’ve thrown in the towel….UPND 2 HOT to handle.
PF is clearly scared sh!tless of the opposition. They must know now that Zambians are FED UP with them, so they are going to play hide-and-seek now. And the decision to peg the tolls at Kazangula at exorbitant levels has completely backfired, people now see the bridge as just meant for the elite!
@ GMS make no reference to what you don’t know! Who says there was no rallies taking place? The difference with where Zambia is at access to media is a privilege the ruling party affords the opposition if it so wishes but at a groveling price to any in the opposition wanting to use the air waves! PF is campaigning for a total ban for opposition political parties knowing fully well that only PF would have 100% access to the media in all forms! In the USA the challenger could be covered by all news media and he could also broadcast from his home carport! Zambia has not yet attained this level of sophistication and tolerance to even playing rules when campaigns are afoot!