Political leaders in Zambia agree to end violence ahead of polls

Eighteen political leaders in Zambia have agreed on modalities aimed at ending political violence ahead of general elections later this year, a communique obtained by Xinhua on Wednesday said.

The meeting was convened by church leaders following a spate of violence that have characterized the run up to the August 11 elections, especially by supporters of incumbent President Edgar Lungu and main opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema.

The communique, issued after seven hours of talks said the political leaders committed themselves to ending violence through various leadership structures as a way of addressing the issue.

"The meeting agreed to stop the use of perceived military regalia alongside machetes as they have played a role in fanning violence and, therefore, political parties hereby commit to curbing their use so as to eliminate fear and intimidation," the communique reads in part.

It added that political leaders agreed to use existing party structures to encourage members to desist from violence acts, thus strengthening a culture of dialogue and tolerance within and among political parties.

The meeting also expressed concern over the application of a law that governs public gatherings and processions, the Public Order Act, with opposition leaders saying it has been applied selectively while the media was also cited as contributing to the polarization of political parties through its conduct.

The meeting also agreed that leaders should refrain from the use of hate speech and offensive language, especially against each other to avoid political violence.

The leaders have since agreed to hold a follow-up meeting before the elections as a way of keeping the momentum created in addressing violence. Endit