Both Zambia’s ruling party and the opposition should avoid engaging in the politics of insults and violence, says the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI).
In a statement released today, the non-governmental organisation expressed disappointment with Zambia’s major political players, who they say “continue to exhibit politics of insults and violence towards one another, these kinds of politics are not inspirational to the younger generation and should not be embraced by any Zambian regardless of their political affiliation.”
The plea for non-violence comes following a recent incident at a rally in Chipata by the opposition Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD), when an individual known to be a close associate of President Michael Sata, fired live rounds from a handgun, causing crowds to panic and flee. It was the second alleged shooting involving Mr. Ngoma, however the police have not made any arrests.
In the statement, YALI says that in the recent past they have “observed with great sadness the kind of insults and violence our political leaders and carders continue to perpetuate in Zambia.”
“This kind of politics unfortunately has no place in our country and the young people of Zambia and general citizenry are looking for inspirational kind leadership that will reaffirm the ideals and aspirations of the Zambia which of course are not insults and violence,” reads the statement signed by Mundia Paul Hakoola, who serves as YALI’s Executive Board Secretary. “Today the country faces a number of problems and it calls upon the government, political leaders from all political parties and stakeholders to resolve these problems with dialogue and peaceful ways of resolving problems.”
Over the past year, YALI and other civil society organisations operating in Zambia have been pressured by the state, including a letter sent by Minister of Justice Wynter Kabimba threatening to order arrests if the group convened a roundtable session to discuss the draft constitution, as well as a physical attack by a militia of PF youth cadres at a church in Matero, when civil society groups had convened to discuss the recent removal of subsidies.
YALI calls on political leaders to take leaf from the great life Nelson Mandela lead in his political life that there is greatness in humility, and that vengeance begets retribution, acrimony, hatred among many bad vices, whereas reconciliation and forgiveness yields freedom and above all love for all mankind.
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