WE are surprised at the continued fears by the opposition that the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) will rig this year’s elections on August 11.
The opposition, using one Fred M’membe, owner and controller of the leftist tabloid The Post, has been deafening our ears with unfounded accusations of rigging.
We would once more like to remind the nation that M’membe wants to drag the whole nation in his battles since he is frustrated that all his blue-eyed boys he wanted to take the leadership of this country are headed for political oblivion.
M’membe is like the biblical roaring lion that we read about in 1 Peter 5: 8 which warns us: “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.”
The Bwinjimfumu man, who thought his voice represented that of Zambians, has drowned in his own pond which he had dug since establishing the paper that is notorious for insulting heads of State.
M’membe’s latest crusade that the PF will rig the elections should be dismissed with the contempt it deserves since the ruling party is visibly headed for victory.
The victory is hinged on solid development that has endeared it to the populace, not to talk of President Edgar Lungu’s enviable governance that has seen Zambia make giant strides towards democracy and the rule of law.
Like the Democratic Governance and Human Rights Advocacy (DEGHA) which recently observed that sending political party representatives to monitor the printing of ballot papers for the August 11 general elections should remove any aorta of suspicions of rigging, we feel accusations of electoral malpractices are uncalled-for, if not stupid.
Once more President Lungu and the PF Government have demonstrated that the party (PF) is a democratic one that values democracy.
We would like to hail the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) for showing high levels of transparency and accountability in holding free and fair elections in this country.
Despite the uncalled-for accusations levelled against the Commission, Zambians should be made to understand that this is the same organisation that conducted elections that saw the fourth Republican president Rupiah Banda step down for the late Michael Sata.
If the Commission was compromised and politicised, it could have misconducted itself to allow Mr Banda remain in power fraudulently.
But nay, Rupiah Banda graciously stepped down after election results were announced by the ECZ, which has always held free and fair elections in the past without any confusion.
As a result, there is hardly an election where accusations of foul play or rigging are not heard since to some people, politics gives them an opportunity to fuel their selfish ambitions.
In this area, President Lungu has proved that he is above such cheap politics that has characterised governance, especially during elections.
The mere fact that Mr Lungu has allowed sending of political party representatives to monitor the printing of ballot papers is a manifestation of high levels of political maturity.
It is a well-known fact that the opposition in Zambia has been allowed to operate freely, a right that it has sometimes abused.
We thus feel fears of rigging are betraying the fear the UPND has of losing since the opposition is no match for the ruling PF party.