LUSAKA - The Christian Churches Monitoring Group (CCMG) has expressed concern over what it describes as the Zambia Police Service's slow response to incidents of political violence, warning that the situation could undermine public confidence ahead of the August 13 General Election.
CCMG Programmes Manager Peter Mwanang'ombe said the organisation has recorded 52 incidents of political violence since the start of the official campaign period.
According to Mr. Mwanang'ombe, police have acted on only 52 percent of the reported cases, a response rate he said raises concerns about the effective enforcement of law and order during the election period.
He told Phoenix News that the limited action taken against perpetrators of politically motivated violence risks weakening public confidence in the police's ability to maintain peace during the elections.
Mr. Mwanang'ombe also expressed concern over what he described as the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ)'s silence regarding reports that alleged UPND cadres have been preventing opposition political parties from accessing designated campaign venues.
He said such actions, if confirmed, would amount to violations of the Electoral Code of Conduct and urged the Commission to take appropriate action against any political party found to have breached electoral regulations.
Meanwhile, the Zambia Police Service has indicated that it will issue a statement on the recent incident in Mongu once it receives a comprehensive report from officers on the ground.
Source: Phoenix News | By: Josphat Mbewe