ON THE DISGRACEFUL TREATMENT OF DR KASEBA

It is disheartening to note the kind of treatment the Former First Lady Madam Dr. Christine Kaseba Sata is being subjected to by the Patriotic Front (PF) Government and Party only about 225 days after the demise of her husband one of if not the most celebrated Presidents of the Republic of Zambia.

As Operation Young Vote and young people generally have hearts left profoundly bleeding at this episode of subjecting Dr. Christine Kaseba Sata the widow to late President Michael Sata the sole founder of the PF party whose benefits and outcomes are being enjoyed by those who are allowing this taboo happen on the former First Lady. The eviction of Dr. C. Kaseba Sata from 8 Reedbuck Lodge to go and leave with her mother in Libala is not only unacceptable but must also be immediately reversed.

Our questions are: Where are our mothers; the current First Lady Mrs. Ester Lungu, the Vice President Madam Inonge Wina, Women in Cabinet, Widows Association of Zambia and right thinking Zambians.

What the PF is subjecting Dr. Christine Kaseba Sata to is a precedent that will erode our respect for widow and Ubuntu. Regardless of the shortcoming of Dr. Christine Kaseba Sata if any, there is no justification under the sun to embarrass and humiliate her in such a manner. 

The current First Lady should remember (if she cannot should find out) that at some point between September, 2011 and October 2014 these same people who may be misleading them (the President and Herself) praised President Michael Chilufya Sata and the First Lady then Dr. Christine Kaseba Sata who today they are seen as a lesser human being going by the humiliations she is being subjected to.

This kind of attitude and treatment of widows let alone the Former First Lady has no place and should have no place whatsoever in our society.

The Republican President and Government in general should take responsibility and account for this embarrassment and make amends.

As a people we must stand together is stop this rot in our society. It is inhumane and sends wrong message to the ordinary citizens who may take this as normal practice.

This but one issue is evidence enough why the New People Driven Constitution is needed sooner than later as the Bill of Rights in the Final Draft Constitution is protective of women and any other citizens who may find themselves in similar circumstances as Dr. Christine Kaseba Sata. Such issues of people’s fundamental rights cannot and should not be left at the mercy of any individual. If the Former First Lady of a party the late husband can be subjected to such humiliation (225 day after the death of her husband by the party he formed), how about an ordinary citizens, what kind of humiliation would they be treated to? 

People Driven Constitution adopted through a Referendum before 2016 Elections is the way to go and only way to have our Rights Respected and stop this rot.

Guess Nyirenda (Mr.)

Executive Director

THE UNIVERSITY CRISIS IN ZAMBIA

OPERATION YOUNG VOTE (OYV)

Lotti House, 6^th Floor, Suite 21, Cairo Road P.O. Box 30153

Email: oyvleader2000@gmail.com Cell: 0955/77-769 688

LUSAKA

                                                                                                

22^nd June, 2015

 

PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE PUBLICATION

 

PLIGHT OF STUDENTS/THE YOUNG PEOPLE, INSTITUTIONS OF LEARNING AND ZAMBIA’S FUTURE

The manner in which the Patriotic Front (PF) Government is handling the education sector at tertiary level leaves a lot to be desired. It is now very clear that the PF has no strategy on how to ensure that the institutions of higher learning run effective and efficiently. This lack of strategy and foresight on the effectiveness and efficiency of the institutions of higher learning compromises the quality of graduates offloaded from these institutions which in turn affects directly their performance and lives of citizens generally.

 

As OYV, we are appalled at some insinuations by some senior PF Members claiming that the educated are the people that have destroyed Zambia’s economy. Maybe this explains why the PF has convincingly shown the world that education seems not to be among its priorities.

 

The happenings at the University of Zambia (UNZA) where lecturers and other staff are on go slow and those at the Copperbelt University where the students have given the PF Government a 48 hours ultimatum to pay the over 3000 students meal and project allowances is indicative of some lack of strategy on the part of Government especially that this is not occurring for the first time in this regime. This is testimony of government’s misdirected priorities especially that government is in the process of borrowing to buy motors vehicles. Students who are mainly young people deserve better and not subjecting them to situations of not paying them, pulling them to limits and wait until the threaten to demonstrate or indeed demonstrate before they are paid. The backlog of arrears at UNZA need government’s intervention in that all outstanding arrears must be cleared before engaging whoever governments thinks would be entrepreneurial enough to have UNZA begin to generate its own resources. Whichever team may be brought in to manage UNZA would not perform as long as the arrears/government debt burden on the institution is not settled.

We are of the considered view that the manner in which the PF Government is handling education at higher learning not only compromises the product in terms of graduates but also has an adverse impact on the quality of future leaders, technocrats, thereby putting Zambia’s future at a stake.

If the future of this country is to be secured, education and indeed education at all levels including higher learning must be at the heart of government. It MUST BE PRIORITIZED. There must be serious investment in education as opposed to the luxury of borrowing for consumption such as purchase of motor vehicle.

Guess Nyirenda (Mr.)

Executive Director

ZAMBIA MAY GO FOR EARLY POLLS

OPERATION YOUNG VOTE (OYV)

Lotti House, 6^th Floor, Suite 21, Cairo Road P.O. Box 30153

Email: oyvleader2000@gmail.com Cell: 0955/77-769 688

LUSAKA

                                                                                                

23^rd June, 2015

PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE PUBLICATION

ZAMBIA MAY GO FOR EARLY GENERAL POLLS
It is unexplainable why the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) is running political/campaign adverts in the media when the next General/Tripartite Elections are not expected anytime sooner. The country is not in a campaign period for the PF to be running adverts on radio and elsewhere about President Edgar Lungu. This should send a message to all stakeholders in the electoral process to begin positioning themselves for an early poll unless the PF is able to explain to the stakeholders and citizens in general why it should run a close to 10 minutes jingle in the media.

According to our laws and rules of engagement in the electoral process, such campaign messages are only allowed during the electoral campaign. If the PF has started campaigning for its candidate in the 2016 Presidential Election, H.E. Edgar Chagwa Lungu, the Election Day may as well be announced so that the other political parties start doing the same for their candidates if the playing field is to be leveled.

It is undemocratic to want to catch other players including stakeholder such as opposition political parties and civic society organisations in an election in a democratic society whose values include the rule of law and fair play.

 OYV is of the considered conclusion that since the said paid for political adverts by the PF are already running in the media President Lungu should henceforth dissolve Parliament and call for the Tripartite Election so that all stakeholders are on the same footing. The continuous running of the said political advert by the PF is notification that the country is in the campaign period, as outside the campaign period no such political adverts are condoned as stipulated in Section 27 and Section 8 of the Electoral Act and Electoral Code of Conduct respectively.

 Guess Nyirenda (Mr.)

Executive Director

THE PF MUST AVOID SETTING A WRONG PRECEDENT IN GOOD GOVERNANCE

OPERATION YOUNG VOTE (OYV)

Lotti House, 6^th Floor, Suite 21, Cairo Road P.O. Box 30153

Email: oyvleader2000@gmail.com Cell: 0955/77-769 688

LUSAKA

                                                                                                

8^th May, 2015

 

MEDIA STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

It makes very sad and vexing reading the kind of politics the people of Petauke particularly and Zambians generally are being subjected to by the Patriotic Front (PF) political party and Government.

OYV is of the resolve that there is no justification whatsoever for the PF to impose Dora Siliya on the people of Petauke, after she was rejected in the primary election for the adoption process, but also the petitioning of her 2011 election victory by the PF through its candidate that lost.  

 

First and foremost it is irresponsible, heartless and evil for the PF to have petitioned Dora’s election victory in 2011 and subjected people of Petauke to go for more than two (2) years without a representative in Parliament, and wanting to see a “powerful” candidate in her today. The PF went further and fought tooth and nail, Dora’s bid to re-contest her seat on the opposition Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD). It is beyond being hypocritical for the PF today to decide to impose Dora on the people of Petauke just to waste another close to K7 million kwacha for an election.

 Our conclusion is that the PF will go to any lengths to disrespect the people’s decision even if it means them wasting money that could be channeled to needy areas like delivering a people driven constitution, placing medicines in health centres, operationalizing the student loan scheme among others. If they wanted Dora to be the representative of the people of Petauke they should not have petitioned her 2011 election victory.

 OYV is of the considered view that if Dora is really genuine on her joining the PF she should be ready to be an ordinary member and campaign for Mr. Daka or Mr. Banda who beat her in the primary election for adoption. If the two preferred candidates got 11 and 10 votes while Dora trailed with only 4 votes, why should she be imposed on the local PF and the people of Petauke? If Dora is not asked to throw her weight behind either Mr. Daka or Mr. Banda, then the kind of political prostitution that our politicians are used to will be difficult to stop. This also entails continued frustration of genuine, committed, hardworking and dedicated members of the PF a situation that may lead to them voting for the candidates from other political parties compromising the chances of PF winning the election and generally loosing popularity.

 With the foregoing, we at OYV are therefore appealing to the morality and conscience of the PF leadership (the President who is also Republican President, the Secretary General, the entire Central Committee) to rejected being put to test and taken for granted, by allowing Dora to be an ordinary PF member so that she supports the PF locally preferred candidate. PF must set a precedence of stopping political prostitution and also bring to an end the “Alpha and Omega” syndrome in politics by those that think they are indispensable even when they use crooks methods to remain in political office.

 We believe time to stop this rot is now.   

 

Guess Nyirenda (Mr.)

Executive Director

 

 

ALLOWING ILLEGAL STRUCTURE IN POLITICAL PARTIES FOR CONVENIENCE

5^th May, 2015

MEDIA STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 The attitude and behavior of our political leaders in the country of allowing some “illegal structures” to exist in their political parties when such structures are supportive of their political expedience and exposing them as illegal when seen not to follow those leaders’ thoughts and plans is not only hypocritical but also failure to promote tenets of good governance and observance of the rule of law at a basic level. It is so vexing and appalling to hear the Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Mr. Chishimba Kambwili who is also Chief Government Spokesperson and Youth Chairperson in the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) disown and declare illegal the Media and Publicity Committee of the PF today, a structure he was mute about for  years. Just because this committee has differed with him on the issue of acceptance of Dora Siliya in the PF, Mr. Kambwili has realized that this committee is illegal and has no place in the structures of the PF party.

 OYV is of the resolution that it is very evident that our leaders do not learn and choose not to learn. Such “illegal” structure existed in the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) called the “Die Hard MMD Young Wing” run by Bowman Lusambo. Leaders in the MMD kept quiet when Mr. Lusambo spoke supportive but the moment he seemed divergent from their views, the “Die Hard” was deemed illegal and disowned.

From these two experiences, it is clear that political leaders are not decisive of the kind of structures they need to enhance good governance and the rule of law.

 OYV would like to advise the political leaders to either legalize/legitimize  or stop the mushrooming of non-existing committees/components within their structures at the earliest to avoid confusion as this erodes the little confidence the members of the public have in the political parties but more so in the political leadership.

 Therefore if what Mr. Kambwili alluded to that the Media and Publicity Committee in the PF run by Mr. Brain Hapunda and now supported by Mr. Sunday Chanda does not exist and is illegal in PF, the party should ensure that the committee is legitimized with the PF structures or totally disbanded as what happened to the “Die Hard” in the MMD, as ignoring it is harboring a time bomb.

Guess Nyirenda (Mr.)

Executive Director

YOUTHFUL ATTORNEY GENERAL CHEERS OYV

9^th April, 2015

 MEDIA STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 APPOINTMENT OF YOUNG PEOPLE TO POSITIONS OF DECISION MAKING AND RESPONSIBILITY BY PRESIDENT EDGAR LUNGU

 The appointment of young people to positions of decision making and responsibility in Zambia’s governance structures is long overdue. OYV would therefore like to commend President Edgar Chagwa Lungu for the step he has taken to appoint Mr. Likando Kalaluka as Attorney General and State Counsel (SC).

We at OYV would like to express our gratitude and delight at President Edgar Lungu’s listening ear as we appealed to him consider appointing young people to positions of decision making when he appointed Madam Justice Ireen Mambilima as Chief Justice. We contended that President Lungu was a youthful leader/President and that his rein was the appropriate and best entry point for the young people that constitute above 68% of the national population into high level governance positions and that he had no excuse to fail in this endeavor.

It is very encouraging to the young people to see one of their own in the position of Attorney General, a position that is pivotal to the legal engagement of Government. Further, the young people feel motivated at this move knowing that the efforts of those that work hard and sacrifice get rewarded. OYV would like to take advantage of this moment and appeal to the young people in the country (whether in the ruling party, opposition political parties, government, private sector or indeed the civil society) to examine their conscious and begin to work extra hard.

However, good as the appointment of Mr. Likando Kalaluka may be, it remains a drop in an ocean as the proportion of the young people in relation to the national population is huge. This entails that the President should do a lot more to with regards to increasing the number of young people in decision making. President Edgar Lungu must stick to his pronouncements of appointing more young people to positions of responsibility and this must be done now as doing it later may be misconstrued as appeasement and may not go down well with the majority of the young people which will no doubt cost his continued stay in office.

Guess Nyirenda (Mr.)

Executive Director

OYV COMMENDS ECZ FOR COMMENCING VOTER REGISTRATION

27^th March, 2015

THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION OF ZAMBIA (ECZ) AND THE VOTER REGISTRATION

The inevitability of the ECZ to commence the Voter Registration exercise to register the many young people that have come off age and other Zambians that could not register as voters in the past due to different factors cannot be overemphasized. A lot of young people in Zambia have attained the voting eligibility age of 18 years and they must be given their deserved right to participate in the electoral process through at least, casting their ballot. As an organization, we are alive to the fact that there is a prerequisite document if one is to be entered on the Voters’ Roll.

With the foregoing, Operation Young Vote is of the considered position that the Department of National Registration Births and Deaths must immediately embark on the mobile issuance of the National Registration Cards (NRCs) to the thousands of young people to facilitate their smooth registration as voters. There mustn’t be any excuse to leaving out any Zambian, on the Voters’ Roll, thereby disenfranchising them and infringing on their basic right to cast their vote, hence our well-timed call for the responsible institutions to begin moving on the ground.

OYV would also like to appeal to all political parties to desist from interfering and politicizing the voter registration exercise.

The institutions charged with the responsibility to deliver this very significant right of Zambians accessing documentation to vote and subsequently exercise their right to vote and elect leadership or offer themselves for leadership at any level, must be as objective and balanced as possible as they embark on this exercise especially when dealing with the provinces and other geographic demarcations. This for us is very important as it significantly impacts on the freeness and fairness and outcome of the election at the end of the day. OYV has a conviction that the 2016 Tripartite Elections are very important to the young people as they will give the young people a life time opportunity to determine and shape the destiny.   

 

Guess Nyirenda (Mr.)

Executive Director

CONGRATULATORY MESSAGE TO PRESIDENT H.E EDGAR CHAGWA LUNGU

27th January 2015

Operation Young Vote (OYV) would like to congratulate President Edgar Lungu for emerging victorious in the 20^th January, 2015 Presidential Election which was tightly contested. We also commend the runners up President Hakainde Hichilema for the spirited contest. The other nine (9) contestants were an ingredient and flavor to our ever growing democracy and must be equally commended. OYV feels indebted to the Electoral Commission of Zambia for the great effort and conduct of the poll from the preparations to the final whistle. Though one or so things were not properly done by the ECZ, we note that under the prevailing circumstances they did their very best. The election would not have been a success without the peaceful involvement of the electorate who braved the rains to ensure that Zambia had a new leader on that 90^th day after the demise of President Michael Chilufya Sata. The Observers and Monitors both international and local did perform their work diligently within their limited resources; this added the much needed value to the election and the electoral process and democratic dispensation at large.

We at OYV and the youth fraternity would be failing in our duties as we welcome you into State House to mention the following:

1.    Your appointment of Hon Inonge Wina as your Vice President is unprecedented not only to Zambia but the whole Africa and beyond; this is the very first time a woman is being recognized at such a level in Zambia;

2.    Your appointment of Amos Chanda a young man as your Public Relations personnel is encouraging. Amos Chanda is not only a young person but deservedly qualifies for the position on merit. He is intelligent, has the expertise and know-how, he is a strategist and given space he would perform greatly. We are aware that you know that there are a lot of such young people in this country whom you can appointment to many positions of decision making. It is time. By so doing you would be investing in the future and Zambia would go  a long way on the development path;

3.    Your choice of Hon Ngosa Simbyakula to head the Ministry of Justice is yet another milestone – Our prayer is that in the same way he released the Final Draft Constitution on your behalf as Acting Minister of Justice when you were Acting Republican President on 23^rd October, 2014, you will allow him or you will do it together when you are the Substantive Head of State while he is also Substantive Minister of Justice;

We however have this advise to offer:

1.    The dressing of a dog in UPND regalia/T-shirt bearing UPND leader HH’s portrait and carrying it on top of a coffin in the National Heroes Stadium during the inauguration of the President H.E Edgar Lungu is not only unacceptable but is also evil. This act is actually worse than tribalism. We wish to implore our fellow Zambians to all times try to be sober whether in celebration or grief, to always remember that a human being regardless of status, affiliation, race, age, sex etc. represents the image of God, because God made it and says so. Therefore no human being can or should be equated to any animal worse so a dog. This is shameful and God is watching.

As we congratulate the PF and Edgar Lungu for the victory and knowing too well that H.E Edgar C. Lungu fears God and would not tolerate such, we implore him, the church, the PF and all well-meaning citizens to join us in condemning this act in no uncertain terms. The act was not only inhuman but also evil and unacceptable. Please Sir (Your Excellence) condemn anything that would block you from the sight of God put you away from the presence of the Lord Almighty if this journey is to be successful. God is God and every Human Being is the Image of God.

 Congratulations and welcome to State House.

 OPERATION YOUNG VOTE (OYV)

 Guess Nyirenda

Executive Director

JUSTICE MAMBILIMA NEEDS NEW CONSTITUTION

2^nd February, 2015
MEDIA STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

APPOINTMENT OF JUSTICE IREEN MAMBILIMA AS CHIEF JUSTICE


Chief Justice Ireen Mambilima: Picture- Zambia Daily Mail

The appointment of Madam Justice Ireen Mambilima as Chief Justice of the Zambian Judiciary is not only long overdue but elating. Zambia has been facing challenges in the delivery of justice for some time now and we the young people are confident that the appointment of this great woman will bring real justice and the wheels of equality before the courts will move. It is clear from the way Justice Ireen Mambilima has handled herself and issues in the positions she has held before that the country comes first and the rest follow. However, good as she may be, she will not find it easy to execute her intention of improving the judicial system under the current Republican Constitution.
Chief Justice Ireen Mambilima kept on echoing the need for the new/better constitution during her stay at the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) even during the 2015 Presidential Election Results transmission, an indicator that the country cannot afford to delay further the enactment of the people driven constitution.
We at OYV would like to appeal to President Edgar Lungu to also consider appointing young people to positions of decision making. The young people that constitute above 68% of the national population deserve better in terms of representation. There is no better opportunity for the young people to penetrate and occupy their rightful place on the national agenda than at the time of youthful leader/President Edgar Lungu.
As OYV we are of the conviction that the involvement of young people in the governance of our country at the highest level is the route to success and prosperity for both the nationals and the nation.
Guess Nyirenda (Mr.)
Executive Director

OYV COMMENDS PRESIDENT LUNGU ON APPOINTMENT OF VINCENT MWALE

                                               

13^th February, 2015

MEDIA STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

APPOINTMENT OF HON VINCENT MWALE AND AS MINISTER OF YOUTH AND SPORT

Operation Young Vote (OYV) is elated that President Edgar Lungu has heard the cries of the Youth Movement in Zambia who have for a long time insisted the unquestionable necessity for the Ministry of Youth to be led by a “sober” and focused but also experienced and competent person by appointing Hon Vincent Mwale Member of for Chipangali Constituency as Minister of Youth and Sport. 

Hon. Vincent Mwale

Operation Young Vote and the Youth Movement in Zambia would like to welcome Hon Mwale to the Ministry of Youth and Sport. Even though we are alive at the fact that Hon Mwale has been out of touch with the young people, we believe that he possess the qualities that the Zambian Youth fraternity have been yearning for for years especially that he is a young person himself. Hon Vincent Mwale’s focused way of handling matters will definitely add value to the plight of the youth. We expect that he would use his vast knowledge, experience and expertise from the Public Accounts Committee to inspire and help emancipate the young people from the shackles of lack to empowerment, unemployment and joblessness, poverty among many challenges they are facing.

The Youth of Zambia have for long time experienced retrogression and feel that enough is enough and the choice of Hon Vincent Mwale brings about renewed hope. We are sad that most of the persons that have been appointed as Ministers of Youth in the past did not only fail the young people of Zambia in delivering to their expectations but also did not inspire them to work hard and bring out their best.

We would further like to advise Hon Mwale to be open minded and embrace all young people in the country regardless of their political or any other affiliation. The fact that he is from the MMD which is in the opposition should make him look at all young people with same lenses. Hon Vincent Mwale should consult young people from various institutions including, civil society organisations and political parties among others. Hon Mwale must ensure that he leads the youth and not compete with them while being preoccupied with the agenda of frustrating them if he is going to add value to the emancipation of the youth fraternity in Zambia.

OYV is delight at President Lungu’s gesture of giving them one of their own and appeal to Hon Mwale not to let the President and most importantly the young people of this great nation. This is surely the golden jubilee – the new beginning.

Guess Nyirenda (Mr.)

Executive Director

UNDP: Deepening democracy in Zambia through citizen’s active participation

We share  an important piece from the United Nations Development Programme on efforts to make democracy work in Zambia through active involvement of all citizens

In 2007, the United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopted the Resolution 62/7 declaring 15th September as International Day of Democracy.  The resolution’s preamble defines democracy as ”a universal value based on the freely-expressed will of people to determine their own political, economic, social and cultural systems, and their full participation in all aspects of life.”  The resolution further recognises that “while democracies share common features, there is no single model of democracy and that democracy does not belong to any country or region” and highlights some key actors in democracy, which are, parliaments, civil society organizations, media and the government at all levels.

For Zambia the International Day of Democracy provides a platform for reflecting on the Country’s resolve to embrace important tenants of the International Bill of Rights and the aforementioned UN resolution.  Foremost it is important to note that the preamble of the Constitution stipulates (i) people’s right to choose the means and style of governance, recognises (ii) the equal rights of men and women in participation and pledges that (iii) people of Zambia shall ensure the accountability of the State in terms of human rights, adherence to the law and use of resources.

As part of exercising their democratic rights, specifically the right to choose their leaders, the people of Zambia will be going to the polls to elect their president, members of parliament and local leaders on 20 September 2011.

Zambia, since its independence in 1964, has held 14 presidential elections and 13 parliamentary and local government elections.  Historically, voter turnout on Election Day was in the around 50 percent of the eligible voters until 2006 when 70 of the eligible voters cast their votes.  For the 20 September 2011 elections the Electoral Commission of Zambia has captured on the voters register 5,167,154 voters out of an estimated 6,069,753 eligible voters (i.e. 86% of eligible voters).  This year, with the level of anti-voter apathy campaigns, it is hoped that there will be a high turnout of voters.

National elections are but one of the important aspects of democracy.  Other aspects that go beyond elections that are important in fostering democracy and effective functioning of democratic institutions include:

First, the engagement between members of parliament and the electorate need not only be regular but should add value to the debates in the National Assembly as well as provide evidence for parliamentary portfolio committees’ reports. For instance, parliamentary portfolio committees should hold hearing within the communities especially in rural areas rather than inviting the public for hearings in the capital or within the parliamentary buildings.

Second, at local government level, it is equally important that the councillors be readily accessible and mechanisms should be in place to facilitate effective participation of the community in establishing development priorities and oversight service delivery. In this regard, constituency development funds should serve as a platform for community mobilisation participatory setting of development priorities at a local level.

Third, access to information is important in deepening democracy.  To this end, the government, district councils and parliament should communicate to the public about their policies, budget and citizen’s participation mechanisms that are already in place.  Communication should be made in a language that is understandable by the general public.  For example, one of the first things that a new parliament is going to discuss is the budget for next fiscal year.  State budget – “yellow book” in Zambian terms – should be translated into a form that is easy to understand when it is communicated to the public.  Some Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have been assisting this information dissemination processes.

Media has also an important role to play here, through a responsible and balanced reporting: Media’s responsibility is important in the post elections to track and assess the implementation of commitments made during the election campaign and to keep the electorate informed throughout, at all levels and across communities.

Fourth, each one of Zambians who cast their vote on polling day, whoever will be elected, should keep their eyes on their representatives and keep demanding, where necessary, the implementation of what they have committed during the election campaign.  The constitution of Zambia says the people of Zambia shall hold the State accountable – this requires efforts from both sides, the people of Zambia and the State.  Zambians have an opportunity to demand the delivery of promises made by their representatives.

Zambia has a number of avenues for public discourse during the period between elections: for example, the plenary discussions at the National Assembly is open to public, various on-the-ground offices such as constituency offices, Human Rights Commission’s regional offices and district council offices are open to public for their access to information, reporting and request.

Let’s seize these avenues and foster a culture of interaction and dialogue for better public service delivery on a regular basis, beyond polling days.

Zambia has been exceptionally peaceful ever since its independence.  This is creditable.  Now this needs a continuous nurturing to graduate to a “positive peace” where people’s concerns and basic human rights including freedom from want are addressed.  This needs all Zambians’ commitment to work together relentlessly – through their own contributions and by keeping a watchful eye on their representatives to make sure that the country is going along the path that all Zambians wish to see and to be a part of.