We congratulate Zambians on the success of their recent presidential election which was universally adjudged as peaceful, and President Edgar Lungu, on his victory after a hard-fought contest. Having won 50.35 per cent of the vote, thus crossing the threshold to skip a run-off, and having been duly declared winner by the Zambian Electoral Commission, we urge him to show magnanimity by taking measures to douse the tension in the country. Such unease is not unusual after a bitterly contested election.
We urge Mr. Hakainde Hichilema, leader of the United Party for National Development (UPND), to rise above the fray and demonstrate gallantry in defeat. His 47.67 per cent of the vote is a record to be proud of. Having fallen slightly short, he should remember that the beauty of democracy is that it offers the opposition the opportunity to try again. In Zambia’s case, it will be in five years. He should realise that the peace of Zambia is more important than the ambition of any Zambian, and that the country will need all its citizens to be united to reconstruct its troubled economy and get it back to the path of economic growth.
We think it is time for African politicians to imbibe the culture of accepting electoral defeat whenever it occurs. Where a politician who has lost an election is convinced that he was cheated out of victory, he should follow the due process of the law, if he must contest the result.
The idea of protesting election results with street riots and violence is an ill wind that blows no one any good. The arrest of 133 UPND street protesters, rather than aid reconciliation, will further fan the embers of national disharmony and delay national amity.
All eyes are now on Zambia. Eminent personalities from all over the world have urged restraint. These are voices of reason and we urge all Zambians, including the UPND leader who lost the election, to heed this call.
The verdict of the election monitors is that the election was peaceful. They did not seem to think it deserved to be described as fair. This is partly because of the behaviour of the ruling Patriotic Front party and the Lungu government’s high-handedness in dealing with the opposition. Even the European Union (EU) confirmed Mr. Hichilema’s accusations that the Police had been used as the ruling party’s tool to crack down “quite harshly” on some of his political gatherings. Indeed, in July, the Police actually opened fire on opposition supporters in Lusaka, prompting the electoral commission to appropriately suspend electioneering campaigns for 10 days.
The most outrageous deed of the government was, perhaps, the brazen closure of Zambia’s most important and highest circulating newspaper, The Post, using the Zambian Revenue Authority (ZRA) on the spurious accusation that the paper had failed to pay all its taxes. There was no doubt that The Post was deliberately silenced because even when the revenue appeals tribunal directed the ZRA to allow the paper to resume operations, the ZRA ignored the ruling.
Zambia has a special place in African history for its political stability and violence-free political culture. We expect both sides to respect that history. President Lungu, 59, had been minister of justice and defence and became president in January last year following an election occasioned by the death of President Michael Sata. He ordered a national day of prayers last year in seeking solutions to the economic problems of the country.
Mr. Hichilema, 54, a wealthy cattle rancher, is an economist. Both men should work together for the good of their country. Whatever differences exist between them should be taken to the constitutional court for adjudication.
The government must meticulously respect the rule of law and refrain from its high-handed approach. The worrisome economic situation of the country should take priority over petty political bickering. The loss of 10,000 jobs in the copper belt and the fall of the country’s growth rate from 7 percent to 3 per cent are enough challenges for Zambia.