Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
Political parties taking part in the January 20th presidential election have been cautioned to be careful when making promises pertaining to the Barotseland Agreement.
The Southern African Center for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (SACCORD) says political parties should be certain that they will fulfill promises relating to the Barotseland Agreement as they canvass for votes.
SACCORD Executive Director Boniface Cheembe has advised that this means that political parties must think through their promises on the Barotseland Agreement.
Mr. Cheembe says all political parties contesting the presidential election should remember how the ruling PF during the 2011 election campaigns promised to restore the Barotseland Agreement once voted for which they have failed to do so in three years.
He says the example of the ruling PF thus shows how difficult it is to honor the promise of restoring the Barotseland Agreement, the more reason SACCORD does not think promises in relation to the Agreement should be made for the sake of getting votes.
The SACCORD Executive Director has told Qfm News in an interview that his organization has particularly taken note of the proposal by the opposition MMD to hold a referendum on the Barotseland Agreement once it is voted in power.
He says SACCORD is of the view that the opposition MMD has to avail to the nation details of how exactly it plans to hold this referendum on the said Barotseland Agreement.
Mr. Cheembe says the opposition political party should state clearly whether its proposed referendum will be conduct only among the Lozi speaking people notwithstanding the fact that Zambia has a mix tribe breed of people who are Lozi on one side and another tribe on the other side.
He adds that the MMD should further indicate the geographical location where the said referendum will be conducted.