The Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) says it is an undeniable fact that the electoral results from the five by-elections show that PF is making inroads in opposition strongholds as evidenced in Vubwi, Kasenengwa, Solwezi, Mkushi and Zambezi West constituencies.
And FODEP has observed that the just ended parliamentary by-elections were conducted in a transparent manner.
Speaking during a press briefing in Lusaka today, FODEP Executive Director MacDonald Chipenzi says this is so because some of the constituencies have been associated with the ruling parties for some time except that 2011 elections put them on the other side of the coin.
Mr. Chipenzi says the analysis has shown that Solwezi Central and Kasenengwa constituencies both located in an urban set-up were won by the opposition while Mkushi South, Vubwi and Zambezi West which are rural constituencies were scooped by the ruling party.
Mr. Chipenzi has however, bemoaned the high levels of voter apathy that characterized the by-elections.
He says Zambezi West had 10,206 voters, only 4,924 voters cast their votes representing 48.2% the highest turn out in this round of by-elections while Kasenengwa with 41, 795 had 15,141 voters voting representing 36.2% turnout.
The FODEP Executive Director furthermore explains that Vubwi had 18,084 registered voters and only 6,693 voters managed to cast their votes representing 37.0% while Solwezi Central with 52,900 voters only had about 10,403 casting their votes representing 19.67% turnout.
He furthermore states that Mkushi South in Luano District had 12,793 only about 4,738 voters casting their vote representing 37.04% saying this illustrates that all the constituencies failed to score 50% voter turnout.
Mr. Chipenzi says the victories and losses scored were as a result of various variables ranging from political party and candidates’ strengths and popularities respectively to urban-rural divide and desire to be close the party in power.
He says another interesting aspect is that the election results were in favour of the ruling party in both constituencies where new districts have been declared such as Vubwi and Mkushi South.
useless chap as ussuall speaking (campaigning) 4 pf.u a not fodep but pf cadre
It is a good analysis, politics aside.
Another very refregirated @ negative grey matter! How did you expect the opposition to organise their members without a fair public order act! Chipenzi -you have already forgotten the police brutality under red lips kabimba sure! This ntutemba organisations awee sure no hope, no analytical skills, no radical @ rational brains!But this poverty is really a crime pa-zed!
This fodep’s chipenzi is very obnoxious vexatious to pass such a poor comment. The pf adduced by elections can never b e fair at all when pf spent huge k5 b and intimidated the Vumbwi, Mkushi and Zambezi West illiterate voters to whom pf thieves gave out cash and or bot out voters cards to disable the hungry illiterate villagers frm voting. Fodep as an organisation shud be investigative then tell the truth not lies like pf demagogue.
UPND doing donchi kubeba on themselves.
Could it be that Nevers Mumba was planted in MMD just so he can sap life out of the former ruling party? I can’t believe the appalling rate at which MMD is wilting.
I wish chipenzi can tell us about the buying of voters cards . In katuba the pf spent millions of kwacha buying voters. MMD planted people who received part of that money. The playing field must leved We want monitors who are independent.
Ba Mcdonald we know you are a upnd cadre trying like edmond lifwekelo to portray as if the opposition are popular in urban areas. That is surely not the case because apart from pf having their urban dominion intact they have gone ahead to make inroads into opposition strongholds which kills any hope for them. Pf grabbed livingstone from upnd, tell me which one is more urban between livingstone, a city, and solwezi, a town? For sure livingstone is among only the five cities we have in zambia. So chipenzi dont comfort the upnd with a non existent popularity, advise them instead to reflect seriously on the humiliatung loss by overcoming their smallness. Hahahahaha muzakaula
Chipenzi; upnd carder through and through. Stop boring us with your trash diarrhoea.
Chipenzi; upnd carder through and through. Stop boring us with your trash verbal diarrhoea.