By MILDRED KATONGO  –

A HUMAN rights activist has called on the Human Rights Commission (HRC) to solicit the support of civil society organisations and church mother bodies to jointly embark on an anti-political-violence campaign.
Samuel Kansankha said concerted efforts from various organisations and the political parties themselves are needed to curb the violence that is still being witnessed in the country during political campaigns.
Mr Kasankha condemned the recent use of firearms by political parties to attack their opponents and that pockets of violence would continue to occur if counter measures were not put in place.
“I call upon the Human Rights Commission to solicit the support of serious-minded civil society organisations and jointly revisit the anti-political-violence campaign programme they undertook in 2009-2010 with the three church mother bodies and other CSOs,”
He said the reason for commencing the campaign was to stem political violence in the bud and stop it from steeping its roots in the political culture.
He said whatever form the proposed campaign would take, it should be a sustained effort done with utmost zeal so as to prevent the likelihood of massive violation of human rights by political players.
He said it was important for stakeholders and all peace loving Zambians to fight the scourge with every available strategy.
“In congratulating the Patriotic Front (PF) and the United Party for National Development (UPND), for winning the Lubansenshi and Solwezi West parliamentary by elections respectively, I note, like many other concerned fellow citizens and residents of Zambia, that pockets of violence continue to occur in our politics, and did indeed occur during these elections,” he said.
He said failure to completely fight the vice would lead to a threat to national peace and public order.
This would in future lead to acceptance of these vices as part of the political culture, resulting in serious violation of human rights of ordinary citizens.
Mr Kasankha said political parties who were perpetrators of many electoral malpractices including coercion and various forms of violence would not be able to see the folly of their actions and how they were a real threat to peace and national security until something was done to curb the vice.