THE August 12 presidential and general election is probably the most important national event of this year.
This is because people will cast their vote to decide who leads the country for the next five years, and so political party and independent candidates are going all out to sell their plans for public office.
Trouble is that sometimes the method of campaigns tends to attract conflict and in many instances, these leave a trail of destruction on property and injury to people.
Daily reports of violence in some places and attributed to political parties, appeared to be the order of the day.
With just over a month before the elections, it has been disconcerting to see images of injured citizens or running battles between cadres and police officers.
It is no wonder then that the violence has attracted the attention of the Electoral Commission of Zambia who expressed concern that political parties had failed to heed to counsel over their cadres’ violent conduct.
The electoral body has taken a bold step in actually instituting campaign bans on two main political parties in the areas where violence was experienced.
This is probably the first time that ECZ has been so bold as to ban campaigns and they must be commended for it.
The move will safeguard lives as well as the integrity of the August 12 polls. It is also a move that will retain the confidence of the ECZ in the eyes of the various stakeholders.
It is what is expected of an effective electoral body in managing election activities. Beyond this, the commission should continue to vigilantly observe campaigns in other parts of the country and institute a similar action should political parties continue to flout the Electoral Code of Conduct.
Political parties themselves, especially their leaders, should be challenged should publicly condemn the recent violence perpetrated by the party cadres.
They should further take action against those found wanting by banning them from the party as a show of commitment to eliminating violent elements in their ranks.
The ECZ’s ban on roadshows countrywide is also a positive step not just in curtailing violent conduct, but also in preventing the spread of the dreaded COVID-19.
While political rallies were initially banned in order to avoid the Covid spread, clearly roadshows pose similar risks because they seem to be attracting crowds as well.
It will be a huge test of the political parties’ ability to manage their supporters in adhering to the ECZ guidelines over campaigns.
The bottom line is that all lives matter. Protect them from violence and the Coronavirus at all times.