• President Edgar Lungu (third from left) talks to Lusaka Catholic Diocese Archbishop Telesphore Mpundu (second left) as he posed for a photograph with senior Patriotic Front (PF) officials, members of the clergy, opposition party leaders and their representatives at the Anglican Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Lusaka on Tuesday.

By YVONNE CHATE –
THE coming together of the 18 political parties for the indaba held in Lusaka recently cocoons any possibilities of violence ahead of the August 11 general elections.
The initiative that was spearheaded by the three church mother bodies is expected to bring peace as the nation braces for  general elections in four months time.
In a communiqué read by Lusaka Catholic Diocese Archbishop George Telesphore Mpundu, the 18 parties agreed to do away with any methods of fanning violence such as the use of machetes and military regalia.
The indaba was definitely a response to the worry expressed at the increasing cases of violence in the country by the North Western Council of Elders.
Additionally, it was a platform for political parties to dialogue and find means of stopping violent conducts by members of their respective parties as advised by the council of elders.
Council of Elders chairperson Lucas Chikoti said in an interview that there was need to curb political violence at all cost to allow Zambians to vote freely.
Failure to do so would disadvantage some people from actively participating and exercising their right to vote.
Mr Chikoti said the violence that was being witnessed in the country if not stopped had the potential to institute fear in the electorate ahead of the forthcoming general elections.
“This would have meant that the people on which our democracies are founded will have been rendered deaf, mute and end powerless,” he said.
Mr Chikoti, however, expressed happiness that the three church mother bodies, Council Churches of Zambia (CCZ) and Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ) led by Zambia Episcopal Conference (ZEC) played a role to ensure that violence was avoided.
Chief Madzimawe of the Ngoni-speaking people of Eastern Province welcomed the decison by the church mother bodies to bring the 18 political parties together.
“God communicates to us through the Church and whoever is in a leadership position and ignores Church advice is doing that at his or her own peril, they will be shooting themselves in the foot.
“God has always used the Church to convey messages to leaders including traditional leaders therefore,we must listen to what the Church leaders are telling us,” he said
Zambia Centre for International Dialogue (ZCID) who praised the political parties for attending the inter-party talk urged the parties to respect the resolutions agreed upon during the meeting if violence was to end.
ZICID executive director, Horrance Chilando said the parties should put into action their pledge to end violence.
German Ambassador to Zambia Bernard Finke said the progress by political leaders to talk to each other should be encouraged, adding that they should avoid attacking each other in the media.
Mr Finke hailed the Church‘s effort to facilitate dialogue among political parties to bring to an end to cases of political violence.
“It is evident through the indaba that the role of the Church in harnessing peace in the community and ensuring a violence-free society has been realised,” he said.
ZEC vice-president Alick Banda commended President Edgar Lungu for involving the Church in the Governance of the nation.
Bishop Banda said the abusive language used by politicians belonged to the Stone Age era and should not be embraced.
He advised politicians to respect one another so that they could foster peace and stability in the nation.
Bishop Banda was happy that the President was concerned and involved in finding a lasting solution to curbing political violence, and assured him of the Church’s support.
EFZ executive director, Pukuta Mwanza said the inter party were supposed to be held much ealier.
Reverend Mwanza, however, said the meeting was successful as the attendants discussed the problems and came up with solutions.
He said some of the problems that the parties were facing included provocative speech and the implementation of the Public Order Act.
“we  feel that the inter party talks  were long overdue, we needed to have this meeting much earlier but all in all the President’s willingness and commitment was much more historical and credit should go to him.
Reverend Mwanza said the parties resolved to shun the use of provocative speech.
He said they also agreed that putting on of military regalia should be criminalised and that police should be directed to implement the Public Order Act much fairer than before.
Reverend Mwanza said it was good that the role of the Church in governance had been recognised.
He said there were times when Government felt the Church was overstepping its bounds especially when they condemned things that were not right.
Reverend Mwanza said President Lungu’s commitment was much more historical and credit should be given to him.
He advised political party leaders to take it upon themselves to implement the resolutions.
“Party leaders should understand that they all fight for one common goal of developing the nation and their differences whose effect was seen in clashes among cadres should be done away with completely,” he noted.
It should also be noted by the people that encourage violence only jeopardise the country’s reputation of being a peace-loving.