Zambian leader promises peaceful polls

Zambian President Edgar Lungu on Monday met diplomats accredited to the country to brief them on the country's preparedness for the forthcoming general elections and assured that the government has created a conducive atmosphere for the holding of the elections, his office said.

Lungu met the diplomats at State House amid concerns in the run-up to the August 11 polls which has seen a rise in politically-motivated violence and the closure of an independent newspaper critical to the current regime.

Lungu said his government was making important strides to create a conducive environment for the holding of peaceful elections.

"You will note that a government, we are making important strides and have tried to create a conducive environment for elections, as you have observed with the fair coverage of election campaigns of the different political parties in the media," he said in a statement released by presidential spokesperson Amos Chanda.

"As far as we are concerned, an enabling environment has been created and the playing field is level, as can be seen from the campaign material for the different political parties around the country," he added.

The Zambian leader further said a number of international observers have confirmed that they will send missions to observe the country's polls, adding that the government values the presence of observers because they provide legitimacy to electoral and democratic processes.

On violence, the Zambian leader expressed concern that incidents of violence had the potential to harm the country's reputation as a beacon of peace but assured that the government has taken measures to ensure that peace prevails in the country. Endit