Edward Mulenga
29 October 2008
United Party for National Development (UPND) and Patriotic Front (PF) supporters in Livingstone yesterday rioted, stoning a police vehicle after authorities refused to yield to allow them to physically inspect the contents of two trucks they suspected to be carrying ballot papers.
The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) yesterday said that the two trucks were carrying lamps and batteries and not ballot papers as suspected by the residents and called for calm.
ECZ public relations manager, Cris Akufuna, said in a statement in Lusaka yesterday the batteries and lamps were scheduled to be used in tomorrow's elections and delaying them had a negative impact on the preparations.
This is the third time within a week that cadres are impounding vehicles suspected to be carrying ballot papers when, in fact, not.
Last Thursday, PF officials in Kasama impounded a Health ministry truck carrying anti-malaria spraying kits and another group impounded a Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) vehicle in Itezhi Tezhi at the weekend.
In yesterday's incident, UPND and PF supporters blocked the main road to the city centre with various barricades and threw stones at the police.
Trouble started on Monday afternoon when word went round that two trucks suspected to be carrying ballot papers for tomorrow's presidential poll had been intercepted at the weighbridge.
Following the information, people started trooping to the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) port office where they were parked and demanded physical inspection of the goods on the trucks.
The crowd that kept the trucks on surveillance spent the night at ZRA offices while chanting political slogans.
After being dispersed, the cadres gathered behind houses where they plotted another assault as they vowed not to allow the trucks to leave without being inspected.
Confusion over the trucks continued yesterday as more and more people joined in and demanded that the trucks be physically inspected for everyone to be convinced there was nothing suspicious.
Stakeholders, including lawyers, PF and UPND officials, ZRA staff and police held a meeting in the assistant commissioner's office as they contacted the ECZ in Lusaka on the next course of action.
After their discussions, Kuta Chambers lawyer, In'gutu Suba, announced to the crowd that it had been resolved that the trucks be driven to Lusaka International Airport accompanied by four representatives from each of the two political parties, but the cadres rejected the proposal.
After the stalemate, the angry crowd gave up their patience and started throwing missiles prompting police to retaliate with tear-gas canisters and rubber bullets to disperse them.
The angry protesters pulled down some of the street lights and blocked the main Victoria Falls road with various objects.
Mr Akufuna said arrangements had been made for the police and stakeholders to escort the trucks from Livingstone to Lusaka and assured that the commission was committed to delivering credible elections.
"The commission is, therefore, appealing for calm among members of the general public. The public is hereby informed that the commission ordered many election materials which included lamps and batteries in preparation for the forthcoming elections," he said.
"The commission, therefore, appeals to stakeholders from taking the law in their own hands through such acts. Stakeholders are encouraged to liaise with the commission whenever they have concerns in relation to preparation for this election," he said.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2008 The Times of Zambia. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
