The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has suspended United Party for National Development(UPND) from conducting campaigns in Ikelenge in North Western Province for an indefinite time with immediate effect for the continued disregard of the Electoral Code of Conduct and the signed Peace Accord.
In a statement to the media, ECZ the said that UPND will not be allowed to conduct any form of the campaign in the Ikelenge district and urged the Zambia Police not to allow any political activities by the UPND.
Also suspended is Independent Parliamentary Candidate Mr Albert Amukena Mundia in Sioma district in Western Province
Below is the full statement
Suspension of electoral campaigns – Ikelenge and Sioma Districts
The Electoral Commission of Zambia issued a statement on Friday 11th June 2021 noting with serious concern the escalating political violence in selected parts of the country. It further noted that these were mainly attributed to the Patriotic Front (PF) and the United Party for National Development (UPND).
The Commission reminded the political parties and candidates that the Electoral Code of Conduct which their leaders swore an oath to applies to this period of campaigns and must be adhered to without exception.
The Commission further stated that it would not hesitate to invoke the Code of Conduct and suspend indefinitely all manner of campaigns should these violent acts continue.
On 28th June 2021, the Commission lifted the suspension of campaigns in Mpulungu, Namwala, and Nakonde, and later Lusaka for PF and UPND following a suspension that was imposed due to escalating violence in the respective areas.
The Commission indicated that it would be following the activities of political parties and candidates with keen interest and should electoral violence continue, both political parties and candidates risk being suspended.
Sadly, the Commission has observed the continued disregard of the Electoral Code of Conduct and the signed Peace Accords.
Despite the counsel rendered, the vice has continued, and thus far, escalated levels of violence were experienced in the following districts
– Chisamba- Central Province
– Ikelenge – North Western Province
– Lusaka- Lusaka Province
– Mumbwa (Nangoma Constituency) Central Province
– Sioma – Western Province
The Commission has pursuant to Article 229, Sub-article 2 (e) of the Republican Constitution and Subparagraphs 4 (1) (c) (d) (i) and 11 (d) of the Electoral Code of Conduct suspended indefinitely, with immediate effect, subject to review, all manner of political campaigns in the following districts and for respective political party/candidate;
– Ikelenge – United Party for National Development (UPND)
– Sioma – Independent Parliamentary Candidate Mr Albert Amukena Mundia
In this regard, the UPND and Mr Albert Amukena Mundia will not be allowed to conduct any form of the campaign in the said districts. In the same vein, the Zambia Police should not allow any political activities by the affected party and candidate.
The Commission is still reviewing other cases reported in Chisamba, Lusaka, and Mumbwa, and appropriate action will be taken against any perpetrator for any violation of the Electoral Code of Conduct.
The Commission further urges the media to provide fair, accurate, and balanced reporting to all stakeholders in the electoral process and abide by the electoral code of conduct in election reporting.
Royd Katongo
Acting Chief Electoral Officer
For/The Commission
ELECTORAL COMMISSION OF ZAMBIA
WHATEVER
YOUR TIME AS WITH PF IS UP
THESE LAST FEW DAYS MEAN VERY LITTLE ITS THE LAST 5 YEARS OF MISMANAGEMENT
IS WHAT COUNTS
SO GOOD RIDDANCE
Am I the only one that has noticed UPND doesn’t not have its own formulated campaign mantra or moto in each general election?.
2016 (people power)Bob wine Uganda. 2021 (Bally Muntu Wesu) Mmembe Wesu.
These are desperate moves at anything that they see attractive to people they don’t care. Am sure when Devil himself comes up with a good attractive brand name before 2026 they will definitely go for it.
When you have no heart for something whatever you apply to it lacks your best intelligence.
Decisions like this are always counterproductive: people will vote UPND in droves now! Thank you ECZ!
UPND will disrupt these elections by all means necessary so that we can spend the next year contesting. ECZ are falling into their trap because they will come back and claim that they were not allowed to campaign. You have already heard the rhetoric. The questions we should be asking are how come we are not hearing of the other parties misbehaving? HH will make Zambia ungovernable and if elected president, he will have a tough time to dismantle this monster he is creating. Most African leaders who came to power by force also ended up being removed by the same force.
Total waste of time and space. People’ s minds are already made up. PF is losing big time
Its okay, we are decided already.
PF zwaaaa….
Thank you ecz for putting a stop to these thugs. These motherfcukers hahahaha
Mapatizya formula the reds use was coined by that who was once area mp for Mapatizya
This is the true face of UPND. Violence is in their DNA. It should be banned from campaigning anywhere, not just Iklenge.
Good decision ECZ. Take a look at what UPND is doing in other parts of the country. It needs to be reined in.
@tikki nice dreaming. It is just a matter of time for UPND to go in oblivion forever.
This is the right way to tackle the unruly lot. Strict and professional implementation of law, as expected.
UPND has plans to unleash widespread violence in the country to disrupt the election process. They need to cut to size, as soon as possible.
@Deep Thinker You should change your name to Shallow Thinker. You have literally no political acumen.
Time to get rid of UPND once and for all. Zambia needs redemption from the goons.
I support ECZ on this. Well done!
Crush the violence with iron fist. Don’t hesitate.
Right step to uphold the democracy and peace. Good job!
I see the South African flag in most of the comments — an indication that it is one Zambian at the Zambian High Commission in Pretoria posting the comments. Scared to death about the possibility that he or she is likely to lose his or her job if the opposition takes over the running of government. For such a one, the current mediocrity and ineptitude in government is less important.