DISQUALIFICATION OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY FROM THE KABWATA POLLS A SIGN OF UPND AUTOCRACY

Dear Editor, AS National Democratic Congress (NDC) we are appalled by the decision of the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to disqualify the Democratic Party (DP) from the Kabwata polls.

While other countries are developing economically and politically, Zambia seems to be taking a serious u- turn in a very wrong and dangerous direction.

It does not make sense to aspire for economic development, while maintaining political savagery and barbarism in running the country.

The DP disqualification has the UPND written all over it.

We have consistently been advocating for civility in our politics, but it looks like things are getting worse and now even being endorsed by government through such decisions like disqualifying a very credible opposition party, using a very laughable excuse of two factions.

The question is, what is a faction? Maybe we have to ask and urgently answer that question as a nation. This is no longer an NDC or DP issue, but a national issue.

Let me remind the nation that, while in the opposition, the UPND had several cases where two members of the UPND had presented adoption certificates at ECZ at the same time.

This was very rampant in the 2016 elections were members of the same party even carried pangas and machetes to try and stop the other camp from filing in.

We saw it in Munali Constituency, Kafue at councillor level, Western Province and other parts of the country. We also saw that in the 2021 elections.

Not once did the UPND get disqualified for all that confusion and violence at the nomination centres. The party was given a chance to show who the preferred candidates were and in some instances, the camp that had the most violent cadres and weapons carried the day.

But ECZ stayed away from making a decision on behalf of the UPND or disqualifying them.

So to see the DP be disqualified now over the confusion that a small group of people made is very unfortunate. Anyone who follows Zambian politics, and just understands governance, knows who the real leaders of the DP are.

This confusion and lack of civility that we see in our politics should not be endorsed by our electoral process and systems.

The toxic Zambian politics should not get to the administration or government departments.

By the same token, it is very unfortunate that after all these years of political independence, countries like ours are still classified as uncivilised states. While the nations/ people are civilised, somehow we have failed to bring the same civility to our states or politics. Sadly, it is such happenings in our politics that justifies such classifications of our countries as uncivilised states.

As angry as this makes us, when we see such happening in our politics are are indeed always reminded that political growth and civility needs to happen for us to even call ourselves a democracy.

We would like the new dawn administration to not only prioritise economic development, but also political development. Three people standing up in the DP and claiming to be the leaders of their party and claiming to expel their president, does not make them the leaders.

It is also very unfortunate that we keep seeing a very strong hand of the UPND in the happenings of the NDC and now DP situation. This is among the grand plans of the UPND to kill off credible opposition parties and have a one-party state.

We, therefore, call upon the international community to take a keen interest in what is happening in Zambia and intervene in the so far dangerous undemocratic tendencies of the UPND.

It is like where we move three steps ahead we are also pushed five steps backwards. Let us not make beds that we cannot lie in, because if we make “confusion” as a basis for disqualification, with the uncivilised and toxic politics that we see in the country, soon many people will sponsor confusion in other parties just to get them disqualified.