MMD losing candidate in the Mufumbwe Parliamentary by-election Mulondwe Muzungu has told the Lusaka High Court that some voters did not participate in the by-election because of the violence during the campaign period.
Mr Muzungu, 67 of house number 106 Hellen Kaunda said the violence instilled fear in the electorate making them shun the polls.
He said over 54 per cent people voted but that the figure could have been higher if the campaign period was not hostile.
Mr Muzungu closed his case yesterday.
This is in a case in which Mr Muzungu has petitioned the election of United Party for National Development (UNPD) Elliot Kamondo as Mufumbwe member of Parliament.
He said during examination in chief when the matter came up for continued hearing that the violence in Mufumbwe caused tension and fear among the electorate.
Mr Muzungu said the entire electorate in Mufumbwe was petrified.
He said on April 13, 2010 after addressing a rally in Kashima West, suspected UPND cadres allegedly attacked MMD supporters.
“Violence in Mufumbwe was unprecedented. We have never had such violence, in which people’s eyes were plucked out, people stabbed and dogs killed. These assailants came with UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema,” he said.
Mr Muzungu said MMD officials were allegedly attacked when they were leaving the venue of the meeting onto the Mutanda-Chavuma road.
He said one of his political activist , Danny Kawishya was badly beaten and ended up in Mufumbwe District hospital where he was admitted for four days.
Mr Muzungu said during cross examination that violence in Mufumbwe was between MMD and UPND cadres.
He however said the UPND supporters were the aggressors.
Mr Muzungu said violence was reported in Kikonge, Matushi, Kakikasa, Kashima and Mushima wards.
He said he won by small margins in some parts of the wards although he would have done better if it was not for the violence.
Mr Muzungu denied being related to Chief Chizela saying he was only a business partner with the traditional leader.
He said he was not aware Chief Chizela was campaigning for him during the elections.
Mr Muzungu said he was not aware that Mr Kamondo was approached by the MMD to stand on the ruling party ticket.
Another witness, Ernest Kambili, 36 of house number 25B Solwezi Police Camp said on April 28 he received several reports of incidents of assault resulting from the alleged violence in the district.
Detective inspector Kambili said on this day he was operating from the Mufumbwe Police station inquiries desk where he issued numerous medical reports relating to assaults.
The matter comes up on Friday for continued hearing.
[ Zambia Daily mail ]
Bazungu please, ….just let it go.
It was mapatizya formula and chawama panga and machette kaponyas at work. Kaondes are innocent pipo but when you move kaponyas from CB to mufumbwe then thats trouble
How can one be a proud winner of an election marred with such high levels of violence?? He will just enjoy that seat for a few months he is loosing it.
the seat is gone bcos even a novice judge can never allow an election to stand under such mapatizya violence
I hope Zambia Daily Mail will also cover the defence’s testimony.Had it not been for the violence perpetrated by MMD thugs and rigging,Muzungu would have been embarassed by the margin loss.
Aitaya mudala wakayena uyu!
Uwaluba tabula kabepesho.Muzungu just concede defeat after all you were just exported to mufumbwe from Hellen Kaunda.
The time when the Mufumbwe elections were held crime rates reduced in Lusaka because William Banda got all criminals from Chibolya for Mufumbwe to do what is in the picture…
Well ! we saw this in Chawama & Kanyama some years ago. Sata went and purchased Machetes and commanded his troops ( kaponyas ) to clear anyone in the way while he was in MMD. Records are there to see. He even boasted about the whole thing.
No one could touch Sata, not even Chiluba at that time…
If this is William Banda ( MMD ) doing this, he should be put in Prison…
Zambia – we do not need this…
If this guy in the picture is normal, he will never do cadre job again. Let this be a lesson to all political gangsters, bootlickers, arselickers, etc.:o
this muzungu chap is naive..you are wasting the court’s time..arrest him and his son!!
This is very unzambian – never have we zambians been so cruel to one another. Where are these politics of violence coming from? What has happened to “peace loving Zambians?”
Muzungu’s son must be arrested 4 killing innocent children in Mufumbwe.