Voting is progressing well in the Mulobezi parliamentary constituency in Western province despite starting on a slow note.
Most polling stations opened at 06:00 hours this morning and voting is expected to end at 18:00 hours.
Voters started casting their ballots soon after the polling stations were opened.
ZANIS reports that at Sichili Basic School, five people cast their vote a few minutes later to choose a Member of Parliament of their choice.
Angela Kayawe, a voter expressed optimism that the MP who will be chosen in today’s election will not disappoint the electorates but deliver the much required development in Mulobezi constituency.
Ms. Kayawe hoped the new MP will address the poor quality of water, bad roads and lack of medical facilities in the area.
At Kanyimba polling station, 20 people had voted after one hour of opening the station.
However, Kanyimba polling stream presiding officer Kabasiya Muyunda bemoaned the low turnout of voters while at Namakala polling station, nine people had voted.
According to the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) 2011 register, Mulobezi constituency has got 32 polling stations with 13, 662 registered voters.
Five candidates are vying for the Mulobezi seat.
Meanwhile, the situation is calm in the constituency and there is heavy presence of police to quash violence if it recurs.
Yesterday, Mulobezi police picked up one person in connection with a shooting incident and charged him with conduct likely to cause breach of peace.
Violence heightened at 22:00 hours and police recovered machetes and catapults from suspected UPND cadres.
Police arrested 18 more suspected UPND cadres for allegedly being in possession of offensive weapons.
Western Province Divisional Criminal Investigation Officer Boniface Ngwira said in an interview that he will later issue a comprehensive statement on the violence.
And Voting in the Malambo parliamentary by-election started on a low note this morning.
A survey conducted by ZANIS found very few people trickling to polling stations to elect their preferred candidate.
At Yosefe polling station, 16 people had cast their votes in all the three streams by 06:20 hours.
PF candidate, Jack Shuma, and his UPND counterpart, John Phiri cast their votes at Yosefe polling station.
Mr. Phiri cast his vote at 06:45 hours while Mr. Shuma voted ten minutes later at 06:55 hours.
By 07:10 hours, 47 out of the 727 registered voters had cast their votes at Kakumbo Turn off polling station.
Malambo constituency has a total of 35 polling stations with 28,053 registered voters.
The Malambo parliamentary seat fell vacant about three years ago following a court injunction by the PF against the then MP, Maxwell Mwale of MMD for election malpractice prior to his election in 2011.
Four candidates are contesting the seat with Jack Shuma and Peter Phiri standing on the PF and UPND tickets respectively.
UNIP is fielding Jailas Mchenga while the only female candidate, Florence Mwayopa is an independent candidate.
Shame on some party that was trying to use violence to hold on to a seat.Zambians have awakened and will not be coerced into violence for the benefit of a few.Lets embrace one another,irrespective of party affiliations,at the end of the day,these politicians leave those areas and dont even care about the victims of the violence they perpetuate.
The PF candidate looks violent and a crook while the UPND guy looks decent and humble. Birds of the same feathers really flock together.
The state of the PF candidate is worrying. Would he have the energy to work even if he were to win?
The scores after voting will be 2-1 or 3 -0 in favour of PF!!PF will 100% win in Petauke and Malambo while UPND may get Mulobezi.but if all goes well for mighty PF,all 3 seats may go to PF!!i cant see UPND doing better than getting 1 seat!!plus the opposition must expect 0 score too because PF wont get zero!!
UPND IS GETTING MULOBEZI AND MALAMBO AND PF MUST BE CAREFUL IN PETAUKE AS THE YOUNG ALLAN ZULU IS NO PUSHOVER.
@mbinji this is not English Premier league. It is Zambia politics. There is no way Malambo and Patauke can vote UPND. It is like saying PF is getting Choma or Namwala.
No pictures from Mulobezi Constituency?
@Mbinji dream on!!you’ll cry by 24hrs today when results are in!!IT WONT BE 2-1 IN FAVOUR OF UPND-NEVER!!EXPECT 2-1 IN FAVOUR OF PF BECAUSE PF CANNOT LOSE IN MALAMBO!!THEN PETAUKE FORGET AS DORA SILIYA IS TOO BIG FOR YOUNG ALLAN ZULU!!PLUS HOPE U SAW PRESIDENT LUNGU’S RALLIES IN MALAMBO AND PETAUKE!!THERE WERE HUGE!!
BIG RALLIES DONT DETERMINE THE WINNER,CHAGWA HAD MUCH BIG RALLIES IN KAFUE AND CHONGWE BUT LOST TO HH IN THE JAN 20 ELECTIONS.EDDY I CHALLENGED YOU AND UP TO NOW THE THERE IS NO RESPONSE TO MY CHALLANGE IF EDGER KNOWS HE IS WINNING THE 2016 POLLS WHY IS HE SCHEMING TO DEFER THE 2016 ELECTIONS TO 2020? AND FOR YOU KCI IS NOT EASTERN PROVINCE WHERE UPND WON TWO OUT OF THREE LOCAL GOVT BYE ELECTIONS?
The turnout at elections would be better if our dear ‘cadres’ from all parties, sent more time running round villages encouraging voters to finish their breakfast quickly and begin their trek to the polling stations.
It’s a better way to spend time than pounding fists into each other.
Watch out against rigging. Some parties are well known for that. Voters have become disillusioned and know how to move forward. Balamuyoka cipile, nkulisibbilile!
@KI AN EDDY BIG RALLIES DONT DETERMINE THE WINNER,CHAGWA HAD A MUCH BIGGER RALLY IN CHONGWE AND KAFUE BUT LOST TO HH WHO HAD SIZEABLE CLOUDS IN THE TWO AREAS.FURTHER,IS NOT EASTERN PROVINCE WHERE UPND WON TWO OUT OF THREE LOCAL GOVT ELECTION? YOU PF I CHALLENGED YOU AND UP TO NOW YOU HAVE NOT RESPONDED TO MY CHALLENGE.IF EDGER KNOWS HE WINNING THE 2016 ELECTIONS,WHY IS SCHEMING TO DEFER THE POLLS TO 2020?
The latest is that PF is leading all the 3 Seats.
A lot of MMD are voting for PF. It’s very tactical.
The PF is likely to win two by-elections in Malambo and Petauke. Mulobezi will be an added bonus if the PF wins- Mulobezi is a very critical vote for both the PF and the UPND because if it goes UPND’s direction, it means that the PF has failed to break into Western Province. If the PF wins this seat, it is indicative that the “Wina” factor is working and the PF is set to win this province marginally in 2016. This is a very critical election. My advise to all observers- watch candidly what happens in Mulobezi.
Latest results by 14hrs , pf is leading in all costituences by a big margin. Lelolelo upnd is in trouble!
YOUR WISH,UPND IS HEADED FOR VICTORY IN BOTH MALAMBO AND MULOBEZI.
most of you ‘faithful’ contributors on this site are not in Zambia but choose to bark at anything. come back and give us alternatives ba pushi imwe.
ONE MORE HOUR TO GO BEFORE WE GET CONFIRMATION,UPND 2 PF 1.
AGAIN HAKAIVOTELA HEKA ALILA OWE, PF 3, UPND 0
IFINTU NI PABWATOOOOO COME 2016 IT WILL BE WHITE WASH THIS TIME AROUND.
Are you using the same rigged polls you used in January?
The Media lies are not working, the Internet is the big tool now, rigged Polls, biased papers and TV especially MUVI TV and all the mainstream Media stations doing their best to rubbish PF, but the people see past the bias.
Numbers don’t lie. Good luck!
UPND have won two seats….!!! News UPND have won Malambo and Mulobezi seat and ruling PF have won Petauke with very slim margin….more to come…..!!!
Information reaching ZNBC news is that UPND, the opposition party is winning in two seats and behind in one that is petauke….Even though indication are that UPND is winning in two,, UPND still believe, they can catch PF in petauke when all the results are counted but in two, there is no way how PF can catch with the opposition…!! more news to come,,,
I will comment later after midnite. Samba waiona.
@Kizito and Mbinji are great dreamers!!so in your senses u think UPND can win in Petauke and Malambo?am sure you will also dream that UPND can win in Bangweulu!!in life its vital to be objective!we know that u support UPND just like we support PF.am PF but i cannot dream that PF can win in Monze as its HH’s bedroom!!same to u guys dont dream about beating PF in Petauke or even Malambo as PF is stronger there than UPND!!IN MULOBEZI YES UPND WILL WIN!!LEARN TO BE OBJECTIVE IN LIFE!!EVEN IN FOOTBALL NKANA F.C CANNOT BEAT ARSENAL F.C IN LONDON-NEVER UNLESS BY A MIRACLE!!
White wash!!!!!
3 – nil
Guess who