Who is behind Political Violence, Political Party Leaders, Cadres?

First Republican President Dr Kenneth Kaunda

Since Independence Zambia has held about 12 elections at national level with an exception of the pre-independence election in 1964 that saw Dr Kenneth Kaunda becoming the prime minister, and President when Zambia became independent on 24 October 1964.

Despite Zambia going under the one party state in 1973, elections have been held with no serious reports of political violence, a trade mark that Zambia has attained of being a peaceful.

Dr Kenneth Kaunda led through to 1990 with all elections held under a one party state, Zambia never rose up with violence to get into multi-party, and it was all through a democratic process that saw late President Dr Fredrick Chiluba winning the 1991 General Elections under MMD beating UNIP the only political party that contest the elections at presidential level.

Late Dr Fredrick Chiluba - Second Republican President

However, all this time there were political party cadres but the situation was different as all political parties viewed each other as competitors in the political field and those that lost power accepted defeat.

In 1996, Late President Dr Fredrick Chiluba won his second term under the MMD beating other four political parties that took part in the elections with campaigns prior to elections being peaceful as usual, five years later another elections were held but this time marred with intra party wrangles that saw the split of the MMD and the formation of other political parties such as PF, HP, FDD, ZRP among other getting on the political field.

Late Dr Levy Patrick Mwanawasa - Third Republican President

It was a tightly contested in 2001, with new comers claiming a good share of votes that saw the MMD getting back to power under Dr Levy Patrick Mwanawasa with a partly 29% beating his closest rival late Anderson Mazoka of the UPND who managed 27% and other nine political parties that took part in the Elections.

With divisions in the MMD prior to the General Elections it was expected that there could be some pockets of violence after the results were announced alas it all went quiet and defeat was accepted. Late Levy Patrick Mwanawasa was re-elected in 2006 with Michael Sata of the Patriotic Front coming second while other political parties merged to form the United Democratic Alliance that come third under its leader Hakainde Hichilema.

The unfortunate happened in 2008 when Zambia lost its leader Dr levy Patrick Mwanawasa but all the same elections were held and Rupiah Banda emerged victorious, the results that Patriotic Front Leader Michael Sata disputed.

Rupiah Banda - Fourth Republican President Rupiah 

With tensions in various parts of the country especially Lusaka and Copperbelt, there were reports of looming violence but thank God Michael Sata stood and told his members not to engage in violence but accept results as they came. 

The Political Party Cadres heeded to the call and the nation was back to its usual peace.

Michael Sata - Fifth Republican President

In 2011, Michael Chilufya Sata of the Patriotic Front emerged victorious unseating the incumbent Rupiah Banda of the MMD.  In 2012 By Elections were held in Mufumbwe constituency at parliamentary level with reports of violence making headlines in most media organisation. 

Reports then were that some political party cadres from Copperbelt alleged to be from the Patriotic Front were ferried to the constituency to cause havoc before elections.

Then MMD leader Dr Nevers Mumba said in the past 15 years he had been in politics, he had never seen such a corrupt and immoral election like the one that happened in Mufumbwe.

However, the situation was contained as police were equal to the task.

At the death of President Michael Sata in 2014, Zambia experienced intra party wrangles with a few pockets of violence reported among the different camps that were formed. However, elections came and they were peaceful usual with losing candidates accepting defeat.

Edgar Chagwa Lungu - Sixth Republican President 

In the 2015 Presidential Elections, Edgar Chagwa Lungu won the elections, pockets of violence were minimal as most political parties were carried away with intra party wrangles.

Zambia head to polls in less than one month, many political parties’ cadres have involved themselves in acts of political violence, due to the rising reports of political violence the Church called for an indaba but all is yielding nothing.

It used to be political parties against each other, now the situation has changed, now its political parties against the Zambia Police Service.

The loss of lives during campaigns is one thing political party cadres must learn from and refrain from acts of violence, Political party leaders Nevers fight, why should political party cadres fight! That’s the question each person should ask themselves.

But who is behind this political violence?

Political Party leaders have been preaching about putting an end to political violence, the mood in the background is a different story, Lusaka and southern Provinces have so far recorded the highest number of political violence.

Political Party Cadres are on the loose to engage themselves in bad vices and the move could lead to voter apathy in the forth coming elections.

Political party leaders needs to stamp Authority and stop violence, there mere statements and condemning the vice is not helping as the vice keeps rising in most parts of the country.

For Now both political party leaders and their cadres have not done enough to stop the vice, Copperbelt Province is a good example at provincial and Kitwe District various initiatives have been held and acts of violence have gone down.

Zambian politicians see violence both as an offensive weapon and as a component of personal security as a necessary part of any political campaign.

With the Electoral Commission of Zambia moving in to suspend campaigns, political parties must learn something and conduct themselves in befitting manner.

The shooting of a female youth by the Zambia Police makes sad reading and must serve as a lesson to political party cadres to refrain from engaging in confrontations with the police, not justifying the action by the Police it’s just not right. Don’t take the law in your hands! One died many were safe with others injured lets learn from our leaders who don’t fight.

Police Acts professionally please!!!!!

President Edgar Lungu

Hakainde Hichilema - UPND Leader

It’s not a secret, violence is between the UPND and the PF, therefore the two must take responsibility and stop the ugly activities before many lives are lost.

Stop violence; speak through the Ballot Box and save lives!!!!!!