. Hichilema

By JAMES KUNDA –

UNITED Party for National Development (UPND) president Hakainde Hichilema has refused to sign a commitment to a peace accord prescribed by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to compel aspiring presidential candidates and their parties to maintain peace during the on-going campaigns.
Meanwhile, President Edgar Lungu of the Patriotic Front (PF), Edith Nawakwi of the Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD), Maxwell Mwamba of Democratic Assembly, Andyford Banda (People’s Alliance for Change) and United National Independence Party leader Tilyenji Kaunda, who was represented by his running-mate Njekwa Anamela, all signed the document.
Green Party president Peter Sinkamba, Saviour Chishimba of the United Progressive Party, and Rainbow Party’s Wynter Kabimba are the other candidates that did not assent to the accord.
The signing of the agreement was done at an indaba called by the ECZ and witnessed by Church leaders and cooperating partners at Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka yesterday.
Eight of the nine aspiring presidential candidates in next month’s general elections attended the event while Mr Sinkamba sent an apology indicating that he was unable to physically be present.
Mr Hichilema’s arrival at the meeting was characterised by commotion as he argued with police officers who advised him to exclude some party members from his delegation since the venue for the meeting could only accommodate a limited number of people at a time.
He said he would only assent to the accord on condition that the ECZ availed him the contents of the document which should pledge that his party would be accorded ‘fairness’ in the campaigns.
“This meeting has not resolved the root cause of political violence. It was merely a public relations scheme for the PF.
“So why should I sign something which will not even be implemented just like has been the case with that agreement signed with the three Church mother bodies at our meeting at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in March?” Mr Hichilema asked.
After the meeting, Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia executive director Pukuta Mwanza and Northmead Assemblies of God church overseer Joshua Banda were heard trying to reason with Mr Hichilema, but the opposition leader was adamant in defending his decision not to sign the agreement.
Dr Chishimba and Mr Kabimba did not give reasons why they did not sign the agreement.
Ms Nawakwi and Mr Banda said their parties assented to the accord because they were peace-loving organisations.
President Lungu described the meeting as successful, saying the participants were given an opportunity to put across different opinions.
ECZ chairperson Esau Chulu said he hoped the four candidates would sign the accord so that the remainder of the campaign period was peaceful.
Mr Justice Chulu said he expected all the candidates to abide by the Electoral Code of Conduct, including those in Lusaka and Namwala where campaigns would resume on Monday after a 10-day suspension by the ECZ due to violence.
Among other stakeholders who attended the meeting were Inspector General of Police Kakoma Kanganja, Commonwealth special adviser on political dialogue Ibrahim Gambari, and United Nations resident coordinator in Zambia, Janet Rogan.
The Zambia Centre for Inter-party Dialogue, Non-Governmental Organisations Coordinating Council and Young African Leaders Initiative were also represented.