PRE-ELECTION ERA AND PARTISAN CSOs
Mweetwa won't contest Choma seat
THEpath leading to the August 12, 2021 election era requires the civil society to be above board and be a neutral arbiter to the issues that may potentially bring conflict in the post-election era.
While the civil society is a political stakeholder, it should desist from being a political player or influence the electoral outcome in favour of one candidate over the other.
The civil society organisations are in the political front line to the transition, during and beyond.
There is a well-founded assumption that some civil society organisations have ostensibly abandoned their humanitarian cause and have substituted their calling in preference of their chaotic role of waging protracted political rivalry with the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) government.
In some instances, even
UNITED when it matters Party most for National to speak Development for the voiceless (UPND) people Cho- in soma ciety Central such as Member the now of famous Par- liament Hatembo Cornelius siblings, Mweetwa they have has hopelessly announced folded that their he arms will not and re-contest left it to the his known seat after opserving position for politician two terms. who has used Mr as Mweetwa a shield to told preserve journal- his ists questionable in Lusaka integrity. that he would dedicate Recently, his a time video to making of the sure Hatembos the UPND was and paraded its pres- on ident the opposition Hakainde aligned Hichilema social form media government. platforms from an unknown Mr Mweetwa, location, with who the is the vidUPND eo clearly spokesperson, distorted to cause said that the distortion there was in no the value backin being ground an for MP unknown with a reckless reasons government denouncing like a named the Patriotic opposiFront. tion politician.
He The alleged assertions that some were mem- to the bers effect of the that UPND that had they applied were for threatened adoption with on the unspecified PF ticket. yet He no also criminal said that complaint the UPND has has abolished the two years been made at any police starequirement for one to be a tion. member of the party before
We have seen a tendency they could contest elections. of He some said CSOs that to the proactively main re- quirement commence would legal now proceedbe the popularity ings in what of they a prospective percieves aspirant as "public on interest the ground litigation." and has However, since invited the case people of the to stand Hatembos on its has ticket been in the taking Au- gust turns 12 to elections. become a national security Meanwhile, issue in the Mr sight Mweetwa of derevealed feaning and that perpetual the Livingstone silence High among Court the CSOs. has directed po- lice With to avail the former few months Local Gov- reernment maining Minister before elections, Ackson Se- the jani and three others to court on April 13.
CSOs He have explained a golden that opportuthe UPND nity to redeem legal team their applied depraved for and habeas chronic corpus biases following on matters the of public detention interest. of the four for over a week without being charged.
They were being held in connection with the disap
MARVIN CHANDA MBERI, Lusaka.