The opposition United National Independence Party (UNIP) has adopted Husty Moffat Mwachilele, a prominent Kanyama businessman to constest the forthcoming Kanyama parliamentary by election.
Mwachilele is a renown former Councilor for Kanyama for seven years from 1991 – 1998
The former ruling party has also fielded in two female candidates – Agness Mukuka and Margret Phiri – to contest the local government by-elections in Lusaka’s Lilayi and Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula wards respectively.
UNIP Deputy National Secretary General, Alfred Banda, confirmed this in a statement to ZANIS in Lusaka today.
Mukuka is UNIP Women Affairs Lusaka Provincial Secretary.
She is also a past Lusaka Branch Co-ordinator of the National Union for Commercial and Indusrtial Workers (NUCIW), former Trade Union leader and former TAP Zambia Limited employee and currently the Chairperson of St. Marys Chilanga Catholic Women’s Council.
Phiri is also a a prominent Kanyama business woman and a renowed UNIP official who has lived in Kanyama for the past 37 years.
Reverend Banda expressed confidence of scooping the Kanyama Parliamentary seat, saying the party is ready for the forthcoming parliamentary elections.
Reverend Banda is now appealing to the electorates to vote for UNIP as the party is its all-weather developmental partner.
And Rev. Banda has disclosed that UNIP will also field candidates in Moomba ward in Kabwe in Central Province, and also other Local government by-elections in Kawambwa and Nchelenge districts in Luapula Province.
Meanwhile, the Anti-Voter Apathy Project (AVAP) has advised political parties to adhere to the Electoral Code of Conduct (ECC) in the forthcoming Kanyama parliamentary by-election.
AVAP Executive Director Bonny Tembo says failure by political parties to adhere to the ECC would attract punishment by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ).
Mr. Tembo observed that political parties have a tendency of breaching the ECC such as the use of government vehicles coupled with rampant distribution of wrappers and misuse of public resources and campaigning on the actual voting day, saying this was against the code of conduct.
In separate a interview with ZANIS in Lusaka today, Mr. Tembo said his organisation has since embarked on a vigorous voter education campaign to sensitise the electorate on the voting process.
Mr. Tembo further cautioned political parties to desist from imposing candidates on the electorate.
The AVAP Chief said imposition of candidates in the by-election will cause voter apathy.
The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has set February 21, 2008 as the date of the Kanyama by-election.
The Kanyama parliamentary seat fell vacant following the death of PF MP Henry Mtonga.
United Party for National Development (UPND), United Liberal Progressive Party(ULP), Patriotic Front (PF), All People’s Congress Party (APC) and the ruling Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) are also fielding their candidates in the Kanyama by-election.
Only three parties are in the race, the rest are fulfilling Democracy!
Does UNIP still exist? Some political parties are just scare crows