Polls have closed in the Bangweulu parliamentary by-election in Samfya district of Luapula Province.
Voter apathy characterized the by-election which came about following the death of Patriotic Font Member of Parliament Chifita Matafwali who died in India.
The ruling party is fielding Anthony Kasandwe,the FDD has Robby Mwansa, Morgan Mwewa is representing NAREP while Bulanko Muma is contesting on the UPND ticket.
Other are John Kabila of the Christian Democratic Party, Prudence Mwansa and Elijah Bwalya both independent candidates.
Meanwhile political parties taking part in the Bangweulu Parliamentary by-election have been commended for the manner they have conducted their campaigns.
Civil rights activist Brebner Changala who has been keenly following the conduct of all political parties says peaceful campaigns that all political parties have conducted are a lesson that the people of Zambia can hold elections without fighting or hacking each other.
Mr. Changala has observed this is as long as political parties are only able to sale their ideas, intentions and manifestos peacefully with the aim of winning the hearts of electorates.
He has told Qfm News by telephone that the peaceful conduct of campaigns in the Bangweulu by-election is how it should be in a democracy.
Mr. Changala has since encouraged political parties in country to continue restraining their candidates from issuing innuendos, vote buying and character assassinations of opponents during elections.
Earlier, Voting in the Bangweulu Constituency by-election in Samfya District of Luapula Province has started.
By 06:00 hours, 17 people had lined up at the council Chamber Polling station waiting to cast their votes.
The polling station was opened at exactly 06:00 hours by the presiding officer Musansa Chisembe.
The council chamber polling station has 1,585 registered voters.
And voting at Chinanda polling station started on a good note and by 08:30 hours about 207 out of 589 registered voters had cast their votes.
Chinanda polling station Presiding Officer Kenny Nsamba told ZANIS that the atmosphere was peaceful as no evidence of violence has been recorded.
At Bangweulu West Polling station, 470 people out of the 335 registered voters had cast their vote by 10:00 hours.
The presiding officer Webster Nchimunya at Bangweulu polling station said voting started on a good note as long queues emerged.
However, voting at Samfya polling station started on a slow pace as only 10 people had cast their votes by 10:00 hours.
Samfya Primary School Presiding officer Evalisto Sikamba said 188 out of 2,700 registerd voters had cast their votes by 10:00 hours.
The Bangweulu seat is being contested by six candidates from Patriotic Front, United Party for National Development, Narep, Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD), the Christian Democratic Party and one independent candidate.
The seat fell vacant after the death of the area member of parliament Chifita Matafwali.
Ba LT. Please edit your articles! 470 out of the 335?
The news were getting from Bangweulu is that PF is leading at all polling centres where votes are counted so far!!SO WE CAN EASILY SAY PF HAS RETAINED THIS SEAT!!HEY GUYS BEMBALAND IS FOR PF JUST LIKE TONGALAND IS FOR UPND!!GBM AND PATRICK MUCHELEKA ARE SHAKING WHEREVER THEY ARE AS THEY’LL 100% LOSE THEIR SEATS UNDER TRIBAL UPND SOON!!VIVA PF AND BRAVO ECL!!
We all need hh’s brain to help motherzambia, a man with a vision vote upnd vote HH to go foword
Pf hás won bangweulu by election by landslide .
When voters are so foolish its hard
UNPD never campaigned seriously in this By-election, they were busy celebrating GBM defection to UPND, but you gonna hear HH and entire UPND complain about this By-election as always as cry babies.