from ARNOLD MULENGA in Lusaka, Zambia
Zambia Bureau
LUSAKA, (CAJ News) – THE outbreak of violence, the resultant prohibition of rallies in volatile hotspots and the ban on the use of candles on the logos of independent candidates are fuelling doubts that Zambia will hold free and fair elections in August.
The abuse of social media, which has now elicited the intervention of the national army, has added to the instability, with high-stakes elections in the Southern African country on the horizon.
Violence has spilled into the current week, with the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) accused of perpetrating the violence, while police are allegedly complicit and the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) is accused of frustrating independent candidates and the opposition in general by propping up the governing party through the “candle ban.”
UPND, led by President Hakainde Hichilema, who is seeking re-election, has fallen out with some members who have opted to contest as independents after losing in the internal polls to choose candidates for the party that has been in power since 2021.
By choosing that path, these candidates were automatically expelled, but the UPND is accused of unleashing party supporters against them to instil fear and derail their campaigns.
Among the targets is Gary Nkombo, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development from 2021 to 2025.
Formerly a member of the UPND, he is the independent parliamentary candidate for the Mazabuka Central Constituency.
This week, despite his campaign launch having initially been permitted, armed police were deployed to the Mazabuka venue, while his supporters were tear-gassed and some injured. Police also descended on his private residence.
“This is not law enforcement. It is political militia,” Nkombo said.
As an independent candidate, he has suffered another blow after the ECZ disallowed the use of the candle symbol after it had already been approved and publicly used by him.
“This last-minute reversal undermines the integrity of the entire process,” Nkombo said.
In response, the ECZ has suspended all political campaign activities in Mazabuka Central Constituency “until further notice” because of the unstable security situation.
“The commission will continue to closely monitor the situation in collaboration with relevant security agencies and other stakeholders,” Brown Kasaro, Chief Electoral Officer, stated.
The commission has also condemned the violence in Kabwe Central and Chawama constituencies in Kabwe and Lusaka districts respectively. Lusaka is the seat of government.
The ECZ said it was determining the appropriate course of action in accordance with the law.
The Zambia Police Service has suspended public gatherings in some violence hotspots.
In a related development, the Zambian Army has cautioned members of the public against what it termed the reckless abuse of social media platforms, particularly the misuse of artificial intelligence tools to generate and disseminate content that ridicules, defames or undermines state institutions and constitutionally appointed office bearers.
Colonel Sydney Mwewa, Army spokesperson, said AI-generated videos being circulated on some social media platforms had the potential to incite soldiers and threaten peace and stability.
“In this regard, the Zambia Army warns all generators and conduits being used to circulate such digital misconduct that its vigilance is uncompromising,” he cautioned.
Commentator Isaac Njobvu expressed concern.
“Zambia is a democratic country, not a military state,” he said.
“Issuing strong warning statements through security forces can easily be perceived as intimidation rather than constructive engagement.”
An analyst, who requested anonymity in an interview with CAJ News Africa, concurred.
“When the military—the ultimate apparatus of state force—warns the public about online content, it drastically raises the stakes,” the analyst said.
“Ordinary citizens, activists and digital journalists may become terrified to post legitimate political satire, leak genuine information or criticise state institutions out of fear that it will be labelled as subversive AI manipulation.”
The analyst described the physical bans by the police and the digital warnings from the military as forming a “double-edged sword”.
“On one side, they are framed as protecting the nation from real-world violence and high-tech destabilisation,” the political expert said.
“On the other side, they heavily restrict both the physical and digital battlefields, making it incredibly difficult for the election to be completely open, free and competitive.”
The ECZ’s ban on the use of candles by independent candidates has also sparked furore.
The candle depicts light, literally, which these candidates are pledging to bring to Zambians amid power outages and, figuratively, a promise of a brighter future.
The ECZ justified the crackdown, arguing that the candle bore similarities to “a symbol” currently registered in respect of a political party.
The electoral body said this was intended to eliminate any potential voter confusion on the ballot paper.
However, independent candidates and the opposition are unimpressed, viewing this as an attempt to prop up the incumbent administration, which is blamed for the energy crisis and economic challenges.
All replacement symbol choices must be formally processed and submitted to the ECZ no later than Wednesday, which will come at a cost to participants who have already branded their campaign materials.
“Between the strict policing of political symbols and the police clamping down on physical gatherings, navigating the landscape is becoming incredibly complex for candidates and analysts alike,” the analyst speaking to CAJ News Africa concluded.
– CAJ News