The United Party for National Development (UPND) has said that they have received the news of the Kabwata by-election cancellation with shock.
Speaking to ZANIS in Choma, UPND Spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa said that much as the party respects the constitution, the Electoral Commission of Zambia should have allowed the election to go ahead.
Mr. Mweetwa who was also Kabwata’s by-election campaign manager said that his party is however ready at any time to go back for campaigns.
However, Socialist Secretary-General Dr. Cosmas Musheke Musumali, speaking on Diamond TV, has charged that the constitution and electoral process is being abused and hijacked, adding that the credibility for the reasons for the withdrawal are flimsy and called upon the law enforcement agencies to investigate immediately as some allegations are very severe for the democratic dispersion of Zambia.
In the same vein, Socialist Party Candidate Tripher Ng’andu said that the move is a waste of resources and taxpayers’ money.
Mr. Ng’andu said that the money that has been used for nominations and campaigns would have been channeled to other sectors of society.
He told ZNBC News in a telephone interview that there is a need for reforms that must change the clause in the Constitution.
And the Patriotic Front (PF) Member of the Central Committee in Charge of Information and Publicity Raphael Nakacinda charged that the ECZ has played to the game of UPND who have instigated the resignation of United Progressive Party (UPP) Candidate Francis Libanda from the Kabwata race.
Mr. Nakacinda said inducing Mr Libanda’s resignation was among the ruling party’s tactics because no one was willing to engage with them in their proposed violent campaigns.
Mr. Nakacinda alleged that the UPND have tried to use different tactics in the Kabwata by-election which among them included trying to use law enforcement agencies to try and prevent PF Candidate Clement Tembo from contesting.
Mr. Nakacinda said that cancellation was the UPND’s plan to give themselves a window to find a formula to manipulate the process with the hope of finding someone to send to Parliament, noting that what is more surprising is that the candidate for United Progressive Party resigned twice.
“How can someone resign twice except the fact that it is premeditatedly meant to give the UPND a window to find a formula to manipulate the process with the hope that they would find someone to send to Parliament.
“Here is a person who could not be accessed by his party leadership, but could be accessed by the UPND. He sent a letter which could not invoke fresh nominations. He was instructed to write a fresh letter by the UPND which has invoked article 52 and necessitated the cancellation of the election,” he said.
And, People’s Alliance for Change Candidate Sydney Zyambo said the cancellation is regrettable and called for new reforms in the Constitution, so that even if one person resigns, by elections are allowed to go ahead.
Meanwhile, Economic Equity Party candidate Chilufya Tayali he is disappointed because he has spent money on campaign materials and that it is expensive to start all over again for fresh nominations.
He told ZNBC NEWS that the move is also expensive on the part of the Electoral Commission
The truth will be known when you field your candidate… current one or a new one. Don’t be shocked just yet, leave room for more bumps
Good move by UPND. Any means to crash PF completely is acceptable. Meanwhile take all of them to court including chi chakolwa. Let them be answering to cases in courts than contesting By-elections.
Why should you be shocked Honourable Minister? That’s what the law states. This is not the Edgar Lungu regime where lawlessness used to be the order of the day
We know they fostered it so they could change their candidate. Not everyone is gullible sir!
Interesting that the person resigned twice. The first resignation would see the election continue, but he goes ahead to write another letter triggering the cancellation of the election? People need to think about that. If the UPND change candidates, then you know they are behind this resignation.
Stu.pid Mweetwa we are not kids, your party members put pressure on you senior party official to withdraw your candidate because he is not saleable..And you under5 were heading for defeat.
We shall wait and see if you will use the same candidate! Shameful just wasting tax payers money in the midst of little resources you chaps are heartless.
You engeered the concellation after knowing that your candidate can’t win Kabwata.He is from Zimbabwe and not popular on the ground.If u change a candidate you’ll see.You’ll get zeros.U;’re making this country more poorer
uli tole
We call this LYING WITH A STRAIGHT FACE.
Upnd won for the following reasons 1) PF had messed up.
2) Tribal voting against the North Eastern Axis domination
3) Promises ( which have now been revealed as lies)
Can the former ruling party, PF, tell Zambians the cost of printing ballot papers for one constituency and transporting them to Zambia. Can all political parties who were on the ground campaigning take the UPP candidate who withdrew to court with a view to getting a refund for what they have so far spent their money on. A least he is alive and not dead. Let this guy never again be allowed to stand for any position anywhere.
I am also shocked that you’re shocked
UPND cannot claim to be shocked. The candidate the UPND picked was so uninspiring that even Chilufya Tayali would have beaten him hands down. The next move will be for the UPND candidate to bow out citing family pressure. UPND will then field another candidate. Indications so far are that UPND were going to lose the Kabwata seat by an embarrassing margin.
Is there anyone in UPND who has not mastered the skill of telling lies? Wisdom is about taking responsibility for your actions and laying a road map to correcting the mistake. Clearly that’s not a virtue in this party. Much as PF was a devil, I would give them a chance right now if the only choice was between PF and UPND.
Why parties field weak candidates who bow
Down to pressure and resign?This candidate
Should be summoned by ECZ so that he can
Tell Zambians if someone has played a part .
It is very costly to postpone an election.
It is the PF regime which inserted a provision in the constitution to cancel a by-election to enable PF achieve its dirty tactics!!! Well lets hope there will now be more stakeholders who will support the changing of this constitutional provision as it was used by PF as the ruling party to achieve their dirty tactics during elections and by-elections. The focus of the fight should be to remove this constitutional provision as it can be used for dirty tactics by both the ruling party and some opposition parties!!
Its equally shocking that people are shocked about this cancellation. The cancellation is what the law demands. Why should ECZ break the law to satisfy some sectional interests?. Yes this law is bad, but what is required is to amend it as opposed to breaking it. Otherwise you end up with lawlessness in the country
The PF regime inserted a provision in the constitution to cancel a by-election to enable PF achieve its dirty tactics!!! The focus ahead is to mobilise more stakeholders to support the changing of this constitutional provision as it was used by PF as the ruling party to achieve their dirty tactics during elections and by-elections. The current constitutional provision allows any party to change or not to change a nominated candidate. So direct your energy towards fighting the real cause of the problem at hand which is the defective constitutional provision!!
#15 Upnd exploited the clause. If Francis was really bought in order for the Upnd to field another candidate, God will judge him. People have lost their lives because of Political prostitution.
The Minister without Portfolio likes to get shocked. One day he will collapse.
PF still behaving same way, another party withdraws from the Election, and UPND should get the blame. During the traffic offense in Mongu, HH who was a mere passenger in a vehicle became the suspect.
Its not a cancellation ba reporter. Its a suspension
Nayo Nayo!
Very soon, the lies will catch up with upnd. This one is very simple, let’s just watch if they change their candidate.
If they do, we will know the answer. People don’t like being lied to, and they will respond accordingly in the by-election.
#23 Isaachar… They will come up with another lie, like the man refusing to re enter the race due to lack of funds.
This UPP candidate should be summoned by ECZ and taken to the police for a lie detector test to establish if someone influenced his decision.