THE people of Mulobezi, Malambo and Petauke constituencies will today be going to the polls to choose their representatives in the National Assembly.
It is encouraging that the build up towards today’s by-elections have generally been peaceful apart from one incident of violence recorded in Mulobezi constituency.
These peaceful campaigns conducted by various political parties have proven that Zambia can still have peaceful elections where there is tolerance among the rivals.
Hats off to the Zambia Police Service for ensuring that law and order was maintained ahead of the parliamentary by-elections.
Several police officers were deployed in the three constituencies to deal with any volatile situation that could have risen.
The same peace which characterised the campaigns should be extended to the polling day and even after the elections.
Peace is cardinal in the nation and all political parties deserve to be commended for exhibiting generally good behaviour and attitude in the race for today’s by-elections.
The voters in the three constituencies are therefore expected to turn up in numbers and elect their preferred candidates peacefully.
Zambians should realise that taking part in elections is their constitutional right which they should exercise freely and also avails them with an opportunity to have a say in the people they want to lead them.
Voter apathy has been characterising most of the past parliamentary by-elections and time has come for Zambians to rise to the challenge and change the trend by beginning to turn out in numbers to choose their preferred candidates.
Political parties and some non-government organisations have a duty to educate the general populace on the importance of turning out to vote.
It is the people in the affected areas who need to pick the right candidates who can help in spearheading development in their communities.
Those who will emerge victorious in Petauke, Malambo and Mulobezi constituencies should stick to their campaign promises and help deliver the much needed development to their areas.
The successful candidates should realise that they owe their victory to the people in the area, hence the need to stick to their promises they make when soliciting for votes. OPINION