By SYLVESTER MWALE –

THE ruling Patriotic Front (PF) and the opposition UPND are confident of winning tomorrow’s Lubansenshi and Solwezi West parliamentary by-elections.
The two political parties have however, accused each other of perpetrating violence in the two constituencies a day before the polls whose winner is likely to be Member of Parliament for less than one year before the 2016 general elections.
PF secretary general Davies Chama accused the UPND of increased desperation which had resulted in violence in Lubansenshi Constituency of Luwingu District.
Mr Chama, who is in Lubansenshi Constituency, said his team came under attack in the early hours of Tuesday but he restrained his members from retaliating to avoid bloodshed.
He said the campaigns had generally been peaceful and the ruling party was confident of scooping the seat which was held by an independent candidate.
“Last evening we were attacked by the UPND but we restrained our camp. This is the level of desperation in the UPND but I have no doubt that we are winning in Lubansenshi and we are also winning in Solwezi West,” Mr Chama said in an interview.
Mr Chama said the opposition party was headed for a defeat in both parliamentary elections hence their resorting to violent tendencies.
However, UPND spokesperson Charles Kakoma said the opposition party was headed for victory in both elections claiming the electorate had rejected the ruling party.
Mr Kakoma accused the ruling party of organising cadres to attack UPND members that had been campaigning in both Lubansenshi and Solwezi West constituencies.
“We have done our homework and we are confident of winning both seats because the PF has been rejected because of its lies from 2011. However, our friends especially the PF are desperate and are resorting to violence in both elections and are attacking us and stopping us from campaigning,” he said.
Mr Kakoma accused the PF of ferrying cadres from Lusaka into Solwezi West to cause violence and intimidate the voters.
Apart from the PF’s George Mwamba and Patrick Mucheleka of the UPND, the Lubansenshi elections would be contested by MMD’s Gabriel Mulenga and Daniel Mubanga of the Rainbow Party, while Charles Chimumbwa was standing as an independent candidate.
The Solwezi West seat was being contested by Martin Mbaya (PF), John Njombi (UNIP) and UPND’s Teddy Kansonso.