Voting in Mpongwe started on a good note with voters lining-up to cast their votes in the parliamentary by-election as early as 05:00hours
A check by ZANIS revealed that in most polling stations’ voter turn-out was steadily progressing well.
The first voter at the Farmer Training College polling station cast his ballot at exactly 06:01 hours.The atmosphere remains calm and voters are freely voting in the by elections whose results are expected to be announce in the early morning of Friday.
And the Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) has expressed happiness with the peaceful manner in which the Mpongwe by elections are being conducted.
FODEP Copperbelt Province Secretary James Phiri hoped the peace that has so far characterized the Mpongw by elections will continue even after the winner of the polls is announced tomorrow.Mr Phiri told ZANIS in an interview in Mpongwe today that it was also gratifying to note that the electorates in Mpongwe were eager to vote for their preferred candidate.He hoped the voter turnout which he said was impressive continue as the day progresses so that all the eligible voters can participate in democratically electing their representative.
The Mpongwe parliamentary by elections is been contested by Gabriel Namulambe of the ruling Patriotic Front, Rapson Chilufya of the United Party of National Development (UPND), Miniver Mutesa of the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD), Reagan Ndhlovu of the National Restoration Party (NAREP) and Kenny Kuveya of the United Independence Party (UNIP).
At Kalunkumya polling centre at Kanyenda primary school Returning Officer Masauso Phiri said voting was progressing well with the turn-out expected to rise later in the day.
“At this polling station everything is good. We are progressing well our clients are coming in one by one, am sure around midday the turn-out will increase,” he said.Mr Phiri said of the 1, 588 registered voters at the polling station, by press time about 30 voters had cast their votes.Mr Phiri further said the voting was going on well and that no incidents had been recorded since voting commenced.
A check at Mpongwe Farming Training Institute polling centre whose number of registered voters’ totals 3418, only 148 people had cast their votes by 07.00 this morning and the station has four streams.Presiding officer Sparkman Chilyabanyama described the turnout as low compared to past elections.
He however expressed optimism that the turnout would increase as the day progresses.
Meanwhile District Electoral Officer Winstone Kasonkomona said a helicopter was already in place to enable move the ballot boxes from far flung and hard to reach areas.He said the chopper provided by ECZ was used to transport officers and election materials yesterday.Mr Kasonkomona also said all election materials and personnel were in the centers and no problems have so far been encountered.
A Mpongwe resident has observed that the by-election should be viewed as a tool that would take development to Mpongwe.Mrs Agnes Kanama said despite which individual wins the seat the people of Mpongwe are only interested in the development of their area.She said all the five candidates want to develop Mpongwe and that whichever one wins must be supported by all residents so that the area can be developed.Mrs Kanama further urged the residents to refrain from violent acts that might disturb peace in the district.She said people who were inciting violence should be reported to the police so that law and order is maintained.
Mpongwe constituency has a total of 34, 642 registered voters,voting is expected to close at 18:00 hours.
[ZANIS]
Nice !!!
NAREP started fielding MPs too, how old is their candidate?
I am in Mufunshi ward and Ukweela wards and PF is leading: PF-6,456; MMD-165; UPND-102 and
Well done to all the citizens in Mpongwe.
Now that is what we call civilization mwe..not uku ku livingstone aah…cool
Does civilization also include the burning of Rabson Chilufya’s village. As for Livingstone, it is Sata’s thugs who killed their own. The body was found 15 km away from the UPND camp. Obviously Chanda was sacrificied by his own PF Bemba tribal party!
Yes civilisation is realising that one can differ with your neighbour and still live side by side with him. It is realising that one doesnt have to kill those who are not like him. It is that since Iam not God I should live and let live.
many more pf thugs will continue to die, watch this space
U r foolish…..
@Lempi.Waba ilyobe !
and your mother,father and wife….then you will appreciate life.
A SEAT FOR PF ON A SILVER PLATA.
In Dickson ward PF is leading 896, MMD 169 and Mupita wards PF is leading: PF-1,466; MMD-291; UPND-67 and NAREP-139
more updates kabili
PF-876; MMD-113; UPND-54 and NAREP-98
Zambian Watchdog
Catholic Church not partisan?
February 28, 2013 | Filed under: Editor’s Choice | Posted by: +
By Fikizolo Daka
I wish to thank Fr.Mulasikwanda from Livingstone for being very objective and call for calm in Livingstone in the forth coming bye-election. In his plea for calm, he made several points which i want to agree with him on several of them except on this point, “As a church we are non-partisan”.
I don’t know what he meant by that statement because from what we have seen and recorded in Zambia, the situation is exactly the opposite of what he thinks.
If…
BAKABWALALA WILL RIG THE VOTES AGAIN. PF IS ALWAYS DIRTY MINDED. SATA WACIJAYACISI CESU! THERE IS NOTHING EXCITING IF PF TAKES THIS SEAT. IT WILL JUST BE THE USUAL SUFFERING BY MPONGWE PEOPLE.
jealousy you will die trying to be what you cannot because of foolish stubborness
Southern province must emulate the people of Mpongwe for their maturity and rising above cadre politics. People should value their lives and not let politics of the belly ruin them. Bravo bamwisho!
@perpamint,don’t b deceived. lf we mean to retaliate yo will die more .On de contrary we don’t want 2 be masonists or sadist like u mwebana bamufigororo,ifimapali.Yo stratage won’t work.After killing u run 2 c/wealth .ldiots!
Thats nice to hear of Mpongwe. Why should we kill just over an election. Mpongwe people continue with your quality civilization. Show those who think killing is winning election how living side by side means. Keep shaming political murderers as they lose more support.
Peace and Prosperity to Mother Zambia.
People of Mpongwe i salute you for the maturity you have shown us. Livingstone, emulate Mpongwe
Updatess people on the results. Please
please bloggers with ears to the ground….kindly update us…..ZWD should go & console HH for cheating him that he is popular in ‘Mpongwe-ZWD Branch’….bazafa kuchikonko….elo chikonko sichimasila until walila….
very funny@HH Vula Nsapato, you have made my night sleep well man!
thx Mwiya, you ve made my day too…..
PEACE LOVING PEOPLE OF MPONGWE, KEEP IT UP! AS FOR UPND, MAY THEY REAP WHAT THEY ARE SOWING! THE INNOCENT SOULS WILL CATCH UP WITH YOU IN BALLOT!
I SALUTE MPONGWE NAFUTI NAFUTI. PF IS IN CONTROL AND ONLY THOSE THAT THINK THAT THE MESS BY MMD DONE IN 20 YEARS WILL SOLVED IN 2 YEARS CAN SAY THAT PF HAS FAILED.