ZAMBIA is at an important moment in its democratic journey, and the need for peaceful, responsible and mature political engagement has never been greater. Elections inevitably generate strong emotions.
Victories bring celebration while defeats can bring disappointment, anger and uncertainty. But political competition must never become a contest in which the stability and security of the country are sacrificed for political ambition.
Peace is not merely the absence of violence. It is the foundation upon which democracy functions.
It allows citizens to express their views freely, enables political parties to challenge one another without fear, and gives institutions the space to perform their constitutional duties without intimidation.
It is therefore encouraging that Citizens First leader Harry Kalaba has reaffirmed his party’s commitment to nonviolent democratic engagement, transparency and accountability. Such a position is important at a time when political emotions remain high and the country awaits the full conclusion of the electoral process.
Mr Kalaba’s message should not be dismissed as routine political rhetoric. Leaders have enormous influence over the behaviour of their supporters. When political leaders choose the language of restraint, their supporters are more likely to follow. Conversely, reckless statements from leaders can quickly turn political frustration into confrontation, particularly among young people, who are often the first to be mobilised into political action. This is why the responsibility for maintaining peace cannot be left to the security agencies alone.
Political leaders must also become custodians of peace. Zambia’s democratic history gives us reason to protect what has been built. The country has experienced changes of government through the ballot box without descending into the kind of prolonged political instability witnessed in some other countries. That is an achievement worth defending, not taking for granted.
We must also recognise that peaceful engagement strengthens the credibility of the electoral process itself. Citizens are more likely to accept outcomes when disputes are handled through institutions, evidence and established legal procedures rather than through threats, demonstrations or violence.
Those who believe an election has been wrongly conducted have every right to challenge the outcome through lawful channels.
Those who win have an equally important responsibility not to humiliate or provoke those who have lost. Democracy requires both sides to know how to win and how to lose with dignity.
This is where opposition leaders have an especially important role to play. They must provide scrutiny and hold the Government accountable, but they can do so without turning every disagreement into a national crisis.
A strong opposition is not one that creates instability; it is one that offers credible alternatives, asks difficult questions and uses Parliament, the courts, the media and other democratic institutions effectively.
We therefore encourage other opposition leaders to emulate Mr Kalaba’s call for non-violence and responsible political participation. If such appeals are echoed across the political spectrum, they can establish a powerful national consensus that political disagreement is legitimate, but violence is not.
There is also a responsibility on citizens themselves. Political parties may compete for power, but ordinary Zambians must continue living together long after the campaign posters have come down.
The person supporting another party may be a neighbour, colleague, relative, business partner or friend. No election should permanently destroy those relationships. Young people, in particular, must be wary of being turned into instruments of political confrontation.
Their energy and frustration should be channelled into demanding better governance, jobs, education and economic opportunities and not into fighting political battles on behalf of individuals who will ultimately retreat to the safety of their homes.
The country must also resist the growing danger of inflammatory misinformation. Unverified election results, fabricated statements and provocative messages circulating on social media can create anger before facts have been established.
Citizens and political actors alike must exercise restraint and verify information before sharing it. As Zambia moves beyond the election, the task is not simply to preserve peace until the results are announced.
The greater task is to build a political culture in which disagreement itself does not threaten peace. Mr Kalaba’s call should therefore be heard as an invitation to all political leaders that let political competition strengthen democracy rather than weaken it.
Let accountability replace confrontation.
Let dialogue replace provocation and let the law, rather than the street, settle disputes.
Zambia’s reputation for peaceful democratic transitions belongs to all of us.
It cannot be protected by Government alone, nor by the Electoral Commission of Zambia, the police or political parties alone.
Every citizen is a stakeholder in the peace of this country. The ballot box should determine who governs Zambia.
The law should determine how disputes are resolved. And respect for one another should determine how we live together afterwards. That is the maturity our democracy demands.
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