. Kambwili

By DELPHINE ZULU, NORMA SIAME and MOFFAT CHAZINGWA –
THE Government has congratulated the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) and the opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) for winning Thursday’s Lubanseshi and Solwezi West parliamentary by-elections, respectively.
Chief Government spokesperson Chishimba Kambwili also thanked the electorate in the two constituencies for exercising their democratic right to elect their representatives in Parliament.
“Ultimately, victory in the two by-elections belongs to all Zambians who have to continue working together in deepening the country’s democracy and development regardless of their diverse political affiliations,” Mr Kambwili said.
“Tribute also goes to the law-enforcement agencies, the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ), election monitors and other stakeholders for their collaborative effort in ensuring the by-elections were held in a peaceful and orderly manner.”
Mr Kambwili said in a statement released in Lusaka yesterday that there was neither victor nor loser in yesterday’s by-elections.
Meanwhile, PF secretary general Davies Chama said the scooping of Lubanseshi Constituency was as a result of the confidence that the people of Luwingu had in the leadership of President Edgar Lungu.
Mr Chama expressed happiness that the ruling party had gained ground in Solwezi West going by the results collected yesterday compared to the last results the party had.
PF’s George Mwamba polled 4, 879 with his closet rival independent candidate Charles Chimumbwa garnering 2, 463 votes.
Despite running a well oiled campaign, UPND candidate and former area member of Parliament Patrick Mucheleka had lost the favour of the constituents and saw his attempt to regain his nullified seat flop like a lead balloon trailing in third position with 1,895 votes.
MMD’s Gabriel Mulenga was fourth with 479 votes while the Rainbow Party’s Daniel Mubanga came last with a paltry 200 votes.
Lubanseshi returning officer Christopher Simusokwe declared the 58-year-old retired teacher, Mr Mwamba, winner at 01:17 hours yesterday.
A jubilant Mr Mwamba said his victory was a sweet one and promised to get to work immediately with particular attention to infrastructure.
Meanwhile, the United Party for National Development (UPND) has scooped the Solwezi West parliamentary seat in a highly-charged by-election characterised by voter apathy and some levels of electoral violence.
UPND candidate Teddy Kasonso polled 8,541 votes to beat his two other rivals, Martin Mbaya of the Patriotic Front (PF) who got 2,635 votes and United National Independence Party (UNIP)’s John Njombi who could only manage 121 votes.
Out of the total 33,309 registered voters for Solwezi West Constituency, 11,475 ballots were cast with 178 votes being rejected as invalid.
Returning officer Adriada Banda who announced the election result yesterday morning at 07:35 hours following a tedious long wait, declared Mr Kasonso as duly elected member of Parliament (MP) for Solwezi West.
The announcement of the result at the totalling centre at the Solwezi Municipal Council hall was, however, characterised by confusion with UPND cadres threatening violence.
This was after ballot boxes from one polling station in Mumbezhi area delayed being delivered to the totalling centre at the civic centre because of logistical challenges.
The ballot boxes only came through in the morning around 07:00 hours much to the displeasure of the UPND camp who became impatient and started threatening to beat up Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) election staff, including district electoral officer Venture Kafula who is Solwezi town clerk.
UPND leader, Hakainde Hichilema thanked the campaigners and all the people who turned out to vote in Thursday’s parliamentary and ward by elections.
“Our congratulations go to the newly-elected Mr Teddy Kasonso. We know he will serve the people of Solwezi West well even in the short time before the next elections,” Mr Hichilema said.
He said despite falling short in the Lubanseshi parliamentary by-election, Patrick Mucheleka was still a strong candidate and the best for the area.
He urged Mr Mucheleka not to lose heart but forge ahead and continue serving the people of Lubanseshi as before and was consoled by the huge share increase in the numbers from January 2015.
JULIUS PHIRI reports from Chipata that the PF has scooped the Nthitimila local government seat in Lundazi District.
Mackson Bili of PF got 1,000 votes to beat his closest rival, Patson Sambo of UPND who got 559 votes.
Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) candidate Geniuus Jere
got 44 votes while UNIP candidate Blackson Nkhoma got 22 votes.