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More police officers deployed in Zambia's presidential election

Xinhua, January 19, 2015 Adjust font size:

Police have increased the number of officers to provide security during Tuesday's presidential election, a top police officer said on Monday.

Stella Libongani, the Inspector-General of the Zambia Police said the number of police officers has been increased from the initial 7,500 to 8,300 to provide security in all the 6,456 polling stations in order to ensure law and order during and after the election.

"In view of the forth-coming presidential election, the Zambia Police Service wishes to assure the nation that enough security measures have been put in place to make sure that the electorate vote in a peaceful environment," she said in a statement emailed to Xinhua.

"The electorate is therefore urged not to feel intimidated by the presence of the police officers as they will be there to protect them and the Electoral Commission of Zambia, equipment and materials," she added.

The police chief further said measures have been put in place to ensure violent-free election, adding that police officers have since been put on high alert to arrest perpetrators of violence.

Among the measures, voters will be required to leave polling stations immediately after voting while supporters of any candidate will be required to camp at the national totaling center to avoid any outbreak of violence.

"It is important to secure the peace of this country collectively and this can only be attained by adhering to the rules and regulations governing the citizenry," she added.

Violence has marred the campaigns in the run-up to the election necessitated by the death of President Michael Sata despite repeated calls for political parties to end violence.

On Sunday, police in Lusaka, the country's capital, arrested two supporters of the opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) for violence which left seven vehicles extensively damaged.

Lusaka Province Police Commissioner Lemmy Kajoba said the two were among 20 armed and masked men suspected to be members of the opposition party who caused havoc by attacking people, robbing shops and damaging property in Chilenje township. Endi