PF, UPND TRUCE

NEWS that the ruling Patriotic Front and the UPND have agreed to call a truce and disarm their militant cadres ahead of the July 26 mayoral elections should be supported by all peace-loving citizens. It is also gratifying that the two political “rivals” have also resolved to hold a joint press conference on Friday next week to announce measures aimed at tackling political violence ahead of the mayoral and local government polls. This is not all, the two parties have also resolved to let the police execute their work professionally without any political interference and arrest any person carrying offensive weapons or perpetrating violence. Interestingly and perhaps most importantly, the two major perpetrators of violence have hinted that they will not clash or disrupt campaigns of other political parties. This is according to a statement jointly issued by both parties following a meeting the two held in Lusaka yesterday. This is as it should be always. Political violence does not pay and elections in themselves should never be used as instruments of violence especially in a democratic dispensation such as ours. Since the disputed 2016 presidential elections, the country has witnessed an unprecedented upsurge of needless but nagging political violence which in some cases has left people seriously injured or dead. This is inimical for a country that prides itself of being among the most peaceful and stable countries in the world, and a Christian nation too for that matter. In the recent past, calls for both parties to restrain their cadres appear to have fallen on deaf ears as each time there was a parliamentary by-election or indeed any other poll, reports of cadres from both camps attacking one another have been the order of the day. It is, therefore, pleasing the two political nemesis have perhaps come to their senses and realised the importance of peace and that violence does not pay. Regardless of which political party wins elections, the country should remain under the guiding One Zambia One Nation motto which was prudently crafted by the founding fathers of this nation. Yes, the two parties have agreed but the question is, are they really going to abide by what they have resolved? We hope so and we implore them to live up to their resolutions. People have cause to worry or doubt because in the past we have heard of both parties pledging to uphold the peace, but come an election, cadres from both sides provoke and subsequently pounce on one another. In fact, the nation will be watching closely the two political opponents to see if they will stick to their peace agreement. Further, the nation will be anxiously waiting to see them jointly unveil measures aimed at tackling the ugly head of violence during the coming polls – will they? As alluded to earlier, we urge them not to backpedal on their resolve otherwise the truce agreement will be an exercise in futility. The latest effort aimed at tackling violence between the two parties should not just be a one-off situation but a continuous process which can lead to national dialogue. They say “violence begets more violence.” PF and UPND should learn something from this. We salute both parties for the peace efforts made thus far.