PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu dances with members of the Mombochima DanceTroupe of Mongu in Mulobezi Constituency yesterday. Picture By EDDIE MWANALEZA/STATE HOUSE

By ANDREW PHIRI –

PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu has warned Patriotic Front (PF) members who are against welcoming new ones, saying they should leave the ruling party.
Mr Lungu said founding PF president Michael Sata embraced all those joining the PF as they were of value in strengthening party structures across the country.
President Lungu said this yesterday during a rally to drum up support for PF candidate Patricia Mulasikwanda in tomorrow’s Mulobezi parliamentary by-election.
“Mr Sata believed in co-existence as this is the way our party can develop,” President Lungu said. “There is still room for those who want to defect and join PF and such people will be accommodated.”
Meanwhile, Ms Mulasikwanda, who knelt down as she addressed the people, pledged to work for the residents if voted into Parliament tomorrow.
“I promise to represent you well in Parliament and I will be available to work with you in every area where the Government is conducting development projects so that your lives can improve for the better,” she said.
Ms Mulasikwanda will take on other candidates from four different political parties that are also vying for the seat.
These are UPND candidate Hastings Sililo, Evans Mwanza of the Green Party, Collins Mbangu of Alliance for Democracy and Development (ADD) and Alfred Mandungwa from UNIP.
The Mulobezi seat fell vacant after the Supreme Court nullified Mr Sililo’s election due to electoral malpractices in 2011.
The Mulobezi poll will be held simultaneously with other by-elections in Malambo and Petauke Central constituencies.
The Petauke seat is being contested by Dora Siliya of the PF, UPND’s Allan Zulu and UNIP’s Ignatius Phiri.
The seat fell vacant after Ms Siliya’s election of 2011 was also nullified by the Supreme Court.
In Malambo, the seat will be contested by Jack Shuma of the PF, Florence Mwayopa (Independent), UPND’s Peter Phiri and Jairos Mchenga of UNIP.
The Malambo seat fell vacant after Maxwell Mwale of the Movement for Multiparty Democracy had his election nullified by the Supreme Court on account of electoral malpractices in 2011.