Friday, March 29, 2024

9 Candidates File in For June 30 By-elections

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Five candidates have successfully filed in their nomination papers for the Mulobezi Parliamentary By-election seat in Mulobezi District in the Western Province that were held at Sichili Secondary School scheduled for 30th June, 2015.

As the nomination exercises opened doors at 09 00 hours, Opposition United Party for National Development (UPND)’s candidate Hastings Sililo was the first to file in his nomination papers at 11: 35 hours.

He was followed by Green Party (GP) ‘s Evans Mwanza who filed in his at 12 40 hours. He was followed by Alliance for Democracy and Development (ADD)’s candidate Collins Mbangu who filed in his nomination papers at 13: 35 hours.

Others are the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) candidate Patricia Mulasikwanda who filled in her nomination papers at 14 : 27 hours while accompanied by Tourism and Arts Minister Jean Kapata. Opposition United National Independence Party (UNIP)’s candidate Alfred Mandungwa filed in his at 14 40 hours.

Returning Officer Fred Chikatu Kapusa who closed at 15 00 hours. The Supreme Court nullified the Mulobezi Parliamentary seat that was held by UPND Member of Parliament Hastings Sililo on grounds that Mr. Sililo’s election in the 2011 General Elections was characterized by corrupt activities such as bribery and other forms of electoral malpractices.

Elsewhere

Four candidates have successfully filed in their nominations to contest the Malambo parliamentary by-election in Mambwe district of the Eastern province.Meanwhile, the opposition Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) has withdrawn from contesting the Malambo parliamentary by-election slated for next month.

And ZANIS reports from Malambo constituency that the nominations took place at the Mambwe Council Chamber with the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) candidate Jack Shuma filing at 10:00 hours followed by UNIP’s Jairo Mchenga who filed in at 11:00 hours.
MMD candidate Zephaniah Kaleya was scheduled to be the first to file in his nomination papers before instructions were received from National Secretary Mwansa Mbulakulima to the Returning Officer not to accept papers from the party candidates at all levels including ward and parliamentary by-elections.

Mr. Mchenga was followed by United Party for National Development (UPND) candidate, Peter Phiri, who lodged in his papers at 12:00 hours before Independent candidate, Florence Mayopa, filed in her nominations at 13:00 hours. PF candidate, Mr. Shumba said he was headed for victory looking at what the ruling party was doing to alleviate the suffering of the people in the valley constituency.

He noted that his first priority was to call on qualified people who were working outside the constituency to go back and develop the area.

‘’ The area has a lot of potential in development that needs to be tapped including human resource. This area has qualified people who come from here and there is need for them to come back so that together with the community we develop the constituency. This is not one man’s show as it requires a collective responsibility,’’ Mr. Shuma said.

He said the constituency had a lot of domestic water problems which should be addressed quickly including what he called an unattended to issue of human/animal conflict.

And UNIP candidate, Jairos Mchenga observed that if he wins the election, his first task would be to work on the best way to develop the constituency.Mr. Mchenga accused all former Members of Parliament in Malambo of not taking into consideration what was on the ground to develop the area adding that a lot of people were not getting a share from what was realized from the abundant wildlife resources.

Meanwhile, UPND’s Peter Phiri, promised to give the ruling PF a tough time for its money, saying, he was famous among the electorates in Malambo constituency as he was a local resident.Mr. Phiri also brought out the issue of human/animal conflict which he said will be priority if he wins, to be sorted out through working together with government. And Independent candidate, Florence Mayopa, thanked her supporters for believing in her and said her priority will be to start empowerment from the family level.

Ms. Mayopa said families have skills but do not have resources, saying, poverty could only be eradicated if they were empowered to use their potentail. She also said if given chance to be Member of Parliament, she would work on roads which she said were in a bad state, despite the constituency having good agricultural productivity.

Ms. Mayopa noted that farmers were experiencing difficulties to transport farm produce because of the bad roads in the constituency.

She said if elected, she would use her experience of helping vulnerable people which she said she has been doing for the past 20 years to improve the livelihood of people in the constituency. Meanwhile, opposition MMD has pulled out of taking party in the by-elections from parliamentary to ward level.

According to the party’s National Secretary, Mwansa Mbulakulima, who never gave reasons for the withdrawal, Returning Officers were instructed not to receive nomination papers from MMD candidates wherever by-election nominations were taking place today.

In Malambo constituency, District Chairperson Zephaniah Kaleya was scheduled the first among all the candidates to file in the nominations before instructions were received from Mr Mwansa not to go ahead.

By press time, NAREP and Fourth Republic Party candidates were being awaited to file their nomination papers.

3 COMMENTS

  1. PF will win no matter what!!the only chance for the opposition was in Mulobezi but they have lost it since UPND and ADD have both filled in candidates there!they have spoiled their chances.UPND could have supported ADD in Mulobezi but as usual HH has no respect for his working partners hence fielding his candidate and am sure Charles Milupi is shocked but thats tribal and greed HH for you!!MMD pulled out paving way for PF candidates,which is good for their alliance as PF is stronger than MMD now.IT WILL BE VERY TOUGH FOR THE OPPOSITION TO WIN A SEAT ON 30/06/2015!!PF MAY GET ALL 3 SEATS!!

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