UNOAU’s SRSG Tetteh participates in the Peace Conference for Political Party Presidents co-convened by the Zambia Centre for Inter-Party Dialogue (ZCID) and the Church Mother Bodies (CMBs)

SRSG Tetteh pays a courtesy call to H.E. Republican Vice President Inonge Mutukwa Wina of Zambia during her visit to the country. Photo: Lusaka Times

30 Jan 2022

UNOAU’s SRSG Tetteh participates in the Peace Conference for Political Party Presidents co-convened by the Zambia Centre for Inter-Party Dialogue (ZCID) and the Church Mother Bodies (CMBs)

The Peace Conference for Political Party Presidents in Zambia ahead of the general elections scheduled for the 12August and co-convened by the Zambia Centre for Inter-Party Dialogue (ZCID) and the Church Mother Bodies (CMBs), was held on 14 of July 2021. The purpose of the Conference was to encourage the leaders of parties contesting the Presidential elections to publicly commit to peaceful elections and to sign the peace pledge at the event to testify to the commitment they made.

The organization of the event was supported by the UN Country team in Zambia and the Commonwealth Secretariat. The Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) Hanna Tetteh, gave the opening address at the event and the Commonwealth Secretary General the Rt Hon. Patricia Scotland gave the keynote address. 

The addresses by SRSG Tetteh and the Rt. Hon. Patricia Scotland touched on many of the same issues and were mutually reinforcing. They committed the UN and the Commonwealth Secretariat to work together through the Coalition for peaceful elections in Zambia to support the country during the electoral period. Both speakers expressed gratitude to the co-conveners of the event, supported by the law association of Zambia, the Human Rights Commission, the Non-governmental organizations coordinating council, the Zambia Federation of disability organizations, the Zambia Police Service, the Media Institute for Southern Africa and the National Youth Development Council for acting on behalf of civil society and taking this initiative aimed at maintaining Zambia’s tradition of peaceful elections. They also emphasized the need to uphold Zambia’s legacy of being a strong multi-party democracy and referenced its history of largely peaceful transfers of power which should be the heritage which the current political actors should seek to emulate and strengthen. The Rt. Hon Patricia Scotland paid tribute to the legacy of the founding father of the Zambian Republic - former President Kaunda and referenced his experiences and actions that had held the country together in the past and called on the participants to take note of the example he had set. She expressed the commitment of the Commonwealth Secretariat to support the country through this electoral process. SRSG Tetteh emphasized Zambia’s multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multicultural context and emphasized the need for those aspiring to political leadership to recognize and respect those diversity of their nation and ensure that the sense of national unity be maintained in their political discourse as they conducted their campaigns, as well as highlighting the support provided by the UN through the UNDP Democracy strengthening in Zambia project.

The Presidents of the various political parties contesting in the elections were present with the exception of President Edgar Lungu, President of the Republic and candidate of the Patriotic Front, however, his party was represented at the event. Hakainde Hichilema the Presidential candidate of the UPND, the largest opposition party, was also present in person and made a commitment towards peace and signed the pledge. Subsequently President Edgar Lungu on his Facebook account referenced the event and also committed to the Peace Pledge.