THE Continental Leadership Research Institute (CLRI) has called on the Zambia Police to have a standard working procedure in the way it responds to issues of political gathering and not use procedures that advantages one political party against others.

Executive director Mundia Hakoola said CLRI had noted the political violence that occurred at the PF Secretariat and also noticed thuggery behaviour by some cadres of political parties.

Hakoola said the institute was concerned with violence and thuggish behaviour that is being exhibited by political party cadres especially that “we are heading to the polls” on August 12.

“Violence has a serious potential to negatively affect voter turnout and cause voter apathy among would-be voters and also reduce the participation youths and women in the elections,” he said. “Our call as an institute is that leaders of political parties should take responsibility and not defend any political cadre found wanting by the law. The recent happenings where a known cadre of a political party was denied [rejected by the PF] because of his conduct is most unfortunate. To us the issue of political violence can only be solved if leaders and officials of political parties take punitive action against earring members to set them as an example to would be offenders”

Hakoola said CLRI was dismayed by officials that can’t take responsibility when their cadres are found wanting.

“We also take this opportunity to call on the Zambia Police to the have a standard working procedure in the way they respond to issues of political gatherings and not use procedures that advantages one political party against others,” he urged.

He said in a situation where there was a standard working procedure for all political parties that does not favour one party, such would cause increased stakeholder participation in enforcing the law and would build the trust between law enforcement and stakeholders.

“However, lacking standard working procedures will undermine the attributes needed to hold free and fair elections and might cause instability in the country,” said Hakoola.