UPND must not resist a peace deal with PF

AS we head toward the politically charged season, political parties participating must commit themselves to preserving the peace after the 2021 Presidential elections.

All stakeholders must be ready to accept and respect the will of the people and can challenge the results in a more sober and civil manner using the mechanisms established by the law.

The recent confirmation by the Patriotic Front (PF) through its Media Director Sunday Chanda in an interview with the online publication Spring TV where he said the PF was ready for the peace deal should excite Zambians especially that the PF has a broad followership.

On the other hand when approached by Spring TV for a comment, UPND Media Director Ruth Dante categorically turned away the offer by the PF to sign the binding peace deal.

Her statement is quoted in part as follows; “………………PF can say today they are ready to sit on round table with opposition political parties in order to sign a peace deal for 2021 elections.

It is unfortunate the suggestion can be correct but not with the Patriotic Front,” quotes Ms. Dante’s statement in part.

As unfortunate as that may seem, the statement requires us to take a careful thought over the war mindedness of the UPND and their pathological hatred for the PF and its cohorts. We recall that in the run-up to the 2016 elections, the UPND did not shy away from its resistance to sign a peace deal. As simple as it may appear soon after the UPND were pronounced losers of the 2016 Presidential polls, the nation witnessed spontaneous displacements of the PF sympathisers in Namwala.

They know that with the peace deal, they will be under obligation to take practical and proactive steps to align their activities with the peace deal. For example, the peace deal will demand that the UND drop the chaotic slogans such as “panga for panga” and above all they will be expected to harmonise their relationship with organs of the state such as Zambia Police, Electoral Commission of Zambia and above all the unconditional amenability and allegiance to the legitimate Government of the day.

They know that the peace deal will compel them to desist from threatening the perceived PF supporters from facing unknown consequences in an event they were given the instruments of powers.

All that, in the UPND’s estimation cannot be popular among the ranks and file of the UPND and its ranks and file.

Moreover the peace deal will be an opportunity for the UPND to redeem its past and possibly take a new direction by denouncing the infamous “Mapatizya Formula” which has inculcated the unconventional ways of dispute resolution.

With the hostile opposition we have had since a named opposition leader came on the scene in 2006, we are desirous to think whether Zambia is divided because of comrade Hakainde Hichilema who came on the political battlefront in 2006?

Before 2006, we did not have certain slogans which were directly designed to incite violence. On Sunday, when I visited Munali where his supporters vandalised the PF offices, Mr Hichilema apparent endorsed the violence by saying that they should “defend themselves” as opposed to reporting the issue to the police.

In as much as Zambia values the pursuit of democratic rights of citizens, the insolent and contemptuous behaviour by opposition politicians cannot be adopted as the new normal in the period leading to the 2021 General elections. In all successful elections, the PF has all what it takes to win the peaceful and violent free elections.

We therefore wish to urge the UPND to take responsibility and ownership of the peace we cherish. The UPND must publicly denounce the violence which has been committed and should emulate the PF who have expressed unwavering readiness to sit with the political foes and sign the peace deal with stakeholders.

MARVIN CHANDA MBERI, Youth Rights Activist, Lusaka.