By STEVEN ZANDE –
THE Nkoya Royal Establishment has cautioned politicians against inciting the public in their attempt to win votes in the August 11 elections because Zambia is one country which can accommodate only one president at a time.
Nkoya Royal Establishment Senior Induna Kamwaya Kamwaya urged politicians to avoid hate speech which had potential to cause anarchy in the country ahead of the elections. He said in an interview that violence would not help any presidential candidate win the elections because a president would be decided by people casting votes in the ballot box. “Elections come and go. But Zambia shall remain as one country even after the elections, so we wish to urge politicians to stop preaching hate speech,” Mr Kamwaya said.
He said Zambians should uphold peace by all means because if lost the peace would be difficult to restore.
Meanwhile, the NRE has urged the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to consider engaging traditional leaders in educating people in rural areas on the contents of the Bill of Rights. Mr Kamwaya said ECZ should involve traditional leaders in publicising the Bill of Rights because they were closer to the people in their chiefdoms.
He said at the moment majority of the people in rural areas, including traditional leaders, were not aware of the referendum or that they would be expected to vote on August 11.
Mr Kamweya said the Bill of Rights was a progressive document which needed to be supported by all well-meaning Zambians, hence the need for  traditional leaders to be engaged for the information to reach more people.
“ECZ should involve the traditional leaders in publicising the Bill of Rights because we live with these people on 24-hour basis, so it will be much easier for us to create an informed electorate on August 11,” he said.