By STEVEN ZANDE –
ZAMBIA’S High Commissioner to South Africa, Emmanuel Mwamba has urged politicians to make responsible comments over the printing of ballot papers for this year’s general elections to avoid damaging the reputation of the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ).
Mr Mwamba said people should stop making speculative comments on the printing of ballot papers because doing so was damaging ECZ’s reputation for holding credible elections.
Mr Mwamba was speaking when he featured on Muvi Television live programme, dubbed Zambia’s Foreign Relations on Sunday evening.
He said comments by politicians who are alleging that a Dubai firm that the ECZ proposed to use as the company to print ballot papers were irresponsible and could plunge the country into chaos.
“Please let us not scandalise our institutions. We need to trust ECZ and if there are any irregularities, let us report to law enforcement agencies,” Mr Mwamba said.
He said politicians and other stakeholders should trust ECZ to conduct free and fair elections because its autonomy was enshrined in the Constitution.
Mr Mwamba said the media had a role to play in national building by counter-checking every statement which was published to avoid publicising unfounded rumours.
He said some political parties were promoting hatred and violence during their political campaigns.
Mr Mwamba said Zambia should maintain its reputation as one of the most hospitable countries in the world.
He said the recent attacks on Rwandese in some parts of Lusaka were acts of criminality contrary to assertions by some politicians that the people rioted because of high poverty levels in the country.
Mr Mwamba said recent statistics had shown that Zambia had recorded improvements in poverty reduction efforts.
He said Zambia hosted people from several neighbouring countries, including South Africa and Zimbabwe during their liberation struggles, because it was a nation of loving and peaceful people.