• The peace pledge will ensure political players speak peace to the nation.
• It will also ensure political parties take necessary steps to address acts of electoral violence.
• The peace pledge is key towards sustaining peace in Zambia.

All political parties contesting the August 2021 General Elections are set to sign a peace pledge on 14th July 2021, as part of efforts to reaffirm their commitment to peaceful campaigns and upholding peace before, during and after the polls.
Speaking ahead of the peace pledge signing ceremony, Zambia Centre for Interparty Dialogue (ZCID) Board Chairperson Jackson Silavwe expressed confidence that the signing of the peace pledge will morally bind political parties.
Mr. Silavwe stated that the peace pledge will also ensure that political players speak peace to the nation and take necessary steps to address acts of electoral violence involving their members.
“We expect that the peace pledge will remind the political parties that they cannot rule a country that falls into conflict and therefore will strive to preserve peace by upholding the rule of law and using non-violent means to seek redress where the need arises,” Mr. Silavwe said.
And speaking on behalf of the three Church Mother Bodies in Zambia, Father Emmanuel Chikoya said the peace pledge is key towards sustaining peace in Zambia as it will be signed by Presidents of the political parties.
“Party leadership is instrumental to how supporters conduct themselves,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Southern Africa Political Officer at the Commonwealth Secretariat Koffi Sawyer stated that elections should be a game of ideas and persuasion rather than a physical exercise that leads to injuries, destruction of property and even loss of life.
Mr. Sawyer added that elections are processes through which the population should elect their leaders to represent them and not processes through which any citizen should suffer injury.
“Zambia is a valued member of the Commonwealth family and therefore the Commonwealth Secretary-General, The Rt Hon Patricia Scotland QC, is committed to supporting efforts towards promoting peace before, during and after the general elections.”
The signing of the peace pledge is being spearheaded by the Coalition for Peaceful Elections in Zambia, comprising Law Association of Zambia, Human Rights Commission, Non-Governmental Organizations Coordinating Council, Zambia Federation of Disability Organizations, Zambia Police Service, Media Institute of Southern Africa, National Youth Development Council and Transparency International, supported by the Commonwealth and United Nations. The coalition was launched on July 1st, 2021.