‘National Electoral Platform body needed to ease tensions’

THE Green Party has  proposed the setting-up of a National Electoral Platform which should have a legal mandate to avert political tensions experienced in the country.

The party proposes that the platform be established pursuant to Sections 107, 110 and 113 of the Electoral Process Act No. 35 of 2016.

It also proposes that the platform  should have established rules of procedure.

Party president Peter

Sinkamba said that the platform once agreed upon and formally adopted by the parties, could serve as the framework of constructive engagement and resolution of disputes in the electoral process leading to 2021 elections and beyond.

"As you are all aware, political tension in the country is dangerously high. This fact is acknowledged by the Patriotic Front leadership, and the opposition parties, and was notoriously evident at the Summit of Heads of political parties which was hosted by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) two weeks ago," he said.

Mr Sinkamba observed the need to have the tension to be amicably resolved now, rather than later.

He said it was clear that the framework used by ECZ two weeks ago failed to achieve the objectives.

He said that if the ECZ framework in its current form was sustained, the country was likely to witness unprecedented electoral violence and bloodshed post-independence.

Mr Sinkamba said that the structure and rules of procedure drafted in the framework could serve as the starting point to the review.

" If agreeable to stakeholders, the framework could be implemented in November this year.

It is in this regard that the Green Party will be hosting a Summit of Heads of Political Parties on Friday, November 6, 2020 to review the proposed framework," Mr Sinkamba said.

He said that the party had also shared the proposed framework with ECZ for review.