Electoral and political violence, vote-buying ahead of the Mangango by-election

FODEP Executive Director MacDonald says his organization is in receipt of unpleasant reports of political confrontation which erupted over the weekend at Pumulo Take Away at the Kaoma Boma-Mongu Road Junction in Kaoma yesterday.

Mr. Chipenzi says after consultations with FODEP monitors and other stakeholders in Kaoma, FODEP has established that some named senior government officials were at the center of the mayhem that happened at Pumulo Take-Away sparked by some named politicians for allegedly replacing GRZ vehicle number plates with private ones, an act which incensed other players.

He says FODEP finds such acts blatant abuse of public resources and facilities and expected that the perpetrators could have been arrested by now by the relevant authorities such as the Zambia Police Force and Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

He says the fact that the perpetrators are still scot-free, demands that relevant law enforcers should take keen interest in arresting the situation before it is out of hand.

Mr. Chipenzi says FODEP demands the immediate probing of politicians involved in replacing government number plates with private ones.

He adds that FODEP is also in receipt of reports of vote-buying through the dishing of money to unsuspected electorates and civil servants involvement in the campaigns in Mangango such as District Commissioners.

He states that such acts are sources of electoral provocation, misunderstanding and conflict and those involved should stop with immediate effect.

Mr. Chipenzi says FODEP finds it unfortunate that after weeks of a peaceful electoral environment in Mangango, some irresponsible politicians, mostly non-Mangango residents, want to disturb the peace obtaining and create an atmosphere unconducive for the holding of a free and fair electoral process.

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