The Patriotic Front (PF) in Kabwe has suspended the party’s Bwacha Constituency Chairperson Saidi Chibwana for various reasons.

The action taken by the opposition party has angered several members who expressed displeasure, adding that better means of resolving whatever problems arose, should have been applied, rather than suspending Mr. Chibwana.

In an interview with ZANIS today, Mackdonald Phiri, a resident of Makululu, expressed disappointment with the decision arrived at by the Central Province PF Executive Committee to suspend Mr. Chibwana for unknown reasons.

Another Kabwe resident, Priscilla Chibwe of Chimanimani Compound said the suspension of Mr. Chibwana would weaken the strength of the PF in Bwacha Constituency, as the suspended official had established a strong foundation for the opposition party in the area.

[pullquote] The letter further accused Mr. Chibwana of forming parallel structures called PF ‘B’ with a view of consolidating his position, for him to contest as an independent if not adopted by the Patriotic Front to contest during next year’s presidential and general elections.[/pullquote]

The other information reaching ZANIS in Kabwe was that more PF Bwacha Constituency Committee members have been suspended from the party.

The suspension letter addressed to Mr.Chibwana, gave him 7 days within which to exculpate himself against four reasons which served as the basis for his suspension.

Mr. Chibwana who also is Ngungu Ward Councilor, was alleged to have been corrupting Ward officials to win their support.

The letter further accused Mr. Chibwana of forming parallel structures called PF ‘B’ with a view of consolidating his position, for him to contest as an independent if not adopted by the Patriotic Front to contest during next year’s presidential and general elections.

When contacted for a comment, Mr. Chibwana confirmed having received the suspension letter, without saying much.

He however, urged his supporters to remain calm and desist from any form of violence, as his superiors were dealing with the matter.

ENDS/KC/PK/ZANIS

President Rupiah Banda says he has accepted the outcome of the two parliamentary by-elections held yesterday in Chifubu and Luena constituencies.

The President has also congratulated Patriotic Front (PF) winning candidate in Chifubu Susan Kawandami and Charles Milupi who won in Luena.

The President said in Chienge today that though the MMD lost the two parliamentary by-elections, the ruling was still happy that it has taken all but two of the nine local government by-elections held across the country.

He said the ruling party accepts the results because that is the democracy that the MMD government is promoting to allow people top choose the leaders they want.

He said PF has returned its own seat through its candidate Susan Kawandami in Chifubu while the former independent MP for Luena Charles Milupi had returned his seat under the Alliance for Democracy and Development (ADD) that he recently formed.

He wished the two winning MPs well as they start their work in parliament.

The President also said he was happy that the MMD has reduced the losing margin in both constituencies.

He said in 2006 the MMD lost Chifubu seat by 10,000 margin but it reduced that to only 2,000 in yesterday day’s poll.

He said in Luena the ruling party had lost with a huge margin in the previous election but it only lost by 300 votes this time around.

Mr Banda said the ruling party is happy that it is making progress in gaining support in constituencies that were strongholds of the opposition.

He charged that the reduced margins have made the opposition to know that the MMD is a strong party.

ZANIS

Alliance for Democracy and Development (ADD) president Charles Milupi has won his Luena Constituency seat contested by five other candidates yesterday.

Returning Office for Luena by elections , Chrispin Kalihonga declared Mr. Milupi as a duly elected member of parliament for Luena Constituency at 10:30hrs this morning.

Mr. Milupi scored 3, 688 against ruling MMD’s Mwangala Maopu who scored 2,800 votes while UPND’s Muyunda Ililonga came in the third with 1,806.

UNIP’s Mutakela Mutakela was fourth with 115 votes while Musole Sikatala from ULP scored 116 votes.

The total number of voters in the Luena by election stood at 8, 630 and the rejected ballot papers where 115.

And Charles Milupi who was present when results where been announced thanked the people of Luena for giving him votes and also voting in a peaceful manner.

Mr. Milupi said his party will concentrate in mobilizing itself throughout the country adding that it will field candidates in both parliamentary and ward seats in next year’s general elections.

Meanwhile, the ruling MMD has retained both the Mpima Ward in Kabwe and Mailo Ward in Serenje respectively, after beating the UPND/PF pact candidates in by-elections held yesterday.

In Mpima Ward, the MMD candidate Christine Mutale Chilufya got 304 votes, beating the UPND/PF candidate Dorcas Munansangu Miyanda, who got 299 votes out of a total of 3, 723 votes cast.

The Returning Officer, Andrew Bwali who announced the results at the Kabwe Civic Centre last evening, declared Mrs. Chilufya as the duly elected councillor for Mpima Ward. 10 votes were rejected.

And speaking later, MMD national Youth chairperson, Patrick Musonda, commended Mrs. Chilufya and all the MMD party officials and caders who campaigned vigorously for the winner, adding that the going was not easy, as the opposition campaigned viciously.

Mr. Musonda said it was disappointing that the MMD appeared like orphans as they campaigned on foot, adding that, the fact that the people of Mpima still voted for the ruling party was an indication enough that Zambians still wanted the MMD to continue ruling the country.

He said it was going to be a shameful thing if the ruling party lost, especially that the UPND president Hakainde Hichilema, campaigned for Mrs. Miyanda.

Mr. Musonda urged the MMD party to ensure that campaign logistics were available next time there would an election, and that the party should reorganize itself, having members who should be sincere and truthful to one another.

“MMD is still the only party that is democratic and the only party the people want to continue ruling this country. Mrs. Chilufya you have brought pride to the party and therefore we congratulate you for your victory,’ He said.

Earlier, Central Province MMD Chairperson Boyd Mutonka said the victory was just one of the many more coming and urged all the party members not to start organizing themselves only when there was another election, but be well organized at all times.

In Serenje District, the Returning Officer Milton Sakala, declared the MMD candidate Douglas Mukosha as the winner, beating the PF candidate Morison Mwape Mukando.

Mr. Sakala announced that the MMD’s Mukosha got 401 votes, against Mukando’s 378, out of the 788 votes cast.

Mailo Ward had 1, 995 registered voters.

ZANIS

The Patriotic Front, PF, has retained the Chifubu parliamentary seat.

Announcing the election results around 00:30 hours this morning, Returning Officer, Roy Kuseka, declared Susan Kawandami of the Patriotic Front as winner after she polled 6, 976 votes, beating MMD’s Frank Ng’ambi who polled 4, 539 votes.

Alliance for Democracy and Development, ADD’s Brian Banda emerged third after polling 412 votes, while UNIP’s Poko Mambwe trailed with 221 votes.

148 votes were rejected after 12, 296 out of 29, 000 registered voters cast their votes in the constituency’s 39 polling stations, representing about 42 percent of all the registered voters in Chifubu.

And Foundation for Democratic Process, FODEP, has said there was a lot of voter apathy in Chifubu.

FODEP Information Officer, McDonald Chipenzi, told QFM in a telephone interview from Chifubu that recording only 12, 296 out 29, 000 registered voters as having cast their vote is a big sign of voter apathy.

Opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) has ‘ cracked’ in Mwembeshi Constituency in Central Province on alleged tribal grounds.

Concerned UPND cadres in the area told ZANIS in an interview today, that one of the country’s main opposition parties has cracked in the area after two senior officials Ekrol Mungo and Abel Makala (who are both Tongas) , UPND District Chairman and Constituency Chairman respectively had allegedly in recent times been de-campaigning area MP Edward Kasoko .

They went on to say that they would be forced to take the law in their own hands unless the two leaders , Mr. Mungo and Mr. Makala respectively step down and leave the constituency peacefully.

“ Having given them ( Mr Mungo an d Mr Makala )the chairmanship for our party does not mean we are short of people eligible to lead us in Mwembeshi. If they feel they are bulls in Sala land, they are overrating themselves,” the party cadres said.

Efforts to get the two leaders for a comment proved futile by press time as their phones where out of coverage. So was the area MP Mr. Kasoko, the party Secretary general Witson Chibwe, and the party leader Hakainde Hichilema were also unreachable as the duo were reported away in Luena constituency.

However the concerned cadres who asked not to be named, told ZANIS that the duo ( Mr. Mungo and Mr. Makala) have already started campaigning on tribal lines saying they wanted the political life in the area to be led by Tongas.

They duo are alleged to have started campaigning for two named prominent Lusaka businessmen for the two constituencies in readiness for the 2011 elections. This is despite a recent circular from the UPND secretariat barring campaigns until further notice.

However the cadres have warned that if the two named leaders wanted to take the UPND as a family club, they should not have wasted our time by involving the local Sala speaking people.

“ We would like to make it clear that we have only two constituencies for Salas, Kaonde Ilas and the Tonga Ilas respectfully and their children. Mr Mungo and his colleague do not belong to either of the group. They must step down, immediately,” the cadres demanded.

“ It is surprising us that nearly the entire number of headmen posts have been taken over by the Tonga instead of us the Salas. They just want to ensure that the Tongas are elected as MPs in Nangoma and Mwembeshi constituencies,” they said.

The duo , according to the party membership, had openly declared during a recent political rally led Mr. Hakainde in Shibuyunji that Southern Province and parts of Central Province was for Tongas. “ This was during the rally and surprisingly Mr. Hakainde did not intervene,” said the concerned members .

The cadres also told ZANIS that it was quite shocking to them when the two leaders forcefully presented a bull to Mr Hakainde during the recent rally in Shibuyunji pretending it was bought by them when in fact it was not so. The duo are alleged to have exhibited disrespect for the party leadership in the area.

The development has Traditional leaders in the area who are reported to be have already advanced their discussions to find the way forward concerning the security and the way forward for the party.

[ZANIS]