Heed ACC warning
Published On July 3, 2016 » 2563 Views» By Davies M.M Chanda » Opinion
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THE warning by Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is timely because it will promote and encourage free and fair elections.
Free and fair elections are cardinal in the democratic dispensation of the country, thus the warning by the ACC should be supported as a way of upholding the rule of law.
Reports that Community Development Mother and Child Deputy Minister Obius Chisala and five others were detained made good reading as that showed that no one is above the law.
Mr Chisala and others were detained in Samfya last week and charged with conduct likely to cause breach of peace.
This was after Mr Chisala mobilised people to disrupt a public rally addressed by Chilubi PF Candidate Rosaria Fundanga last week.
What the Zambia Police did was good because the move showed that there should be no selective justice because no one is above the law.
We commend the police for the action because disrupting the opponent’s public meeting is against the Electoral Code of Conduct.
The Code of Conduct under campaign period states that a member or supporter of a political party or a candidate shall not disrupt another political party’s rally, meeting, march or demonstration or seek to obstruct another person from attending a political rally of another political party.
It also warns against the  use language which incites hatred or violence in any form against any person or class of persons or issue any pamphlet, newsletter, poster or other propaganda which contains materials that incite people  to  violence  or rebellion.
Therefore, Political parties and the aspiring political candidates participating in the August 11 general elections should heed this warning so that they do not cry foul when the law pounce on them.
Political party players should respect the rule of law by desisting from vote buying and bribing the electorates.
The candidates should not influence the electorate, to vote in a certain pattern, by giving them gifts, loans or other material things as an inducement or gratification to the voters.
We want to encourage members of the public to report suspected cases of electoral corruption and urge the law enforcement agencies to sternly deal with  any person found wanting regardless of their
political affiliation.
It was necessary for the candidates not to engage in corrupt activities as the country goes to the polls to avoid prosecution.
The Commission’s partnership with the Transparency International Zambia to carry out sensitisation to the public on electoral corruption is commendable, because it helps the public make informed decisions.
It is gratifying that ACC officers and TIZ have been on the ground and have reached out to all provincial centers and some selected districts educating members of the public on the dangers of electoral corruption.

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