UPND Candidates Clash During Nominations

THE stage for four parliamentary by-elections scheduled for September 11 is set following the filing of nominations that was characterised by fanfare yesterday.

And there was a clash between two United Party for National Development candidates, each claiming to be the official candidate for the party in the Solwezi Central by-election. 
The by-elections will be held in Kasenengwa and Vubwi in Eastern Province, Mkushi South and Solwezi Central.
In Mkushi South, three candidates representing the Patriotic Front (PF), United Party for National Development (UPND) and Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) filed nominations at Old Mkushi Primary School and declared themselves ready to scoop the seat.
The MMD will field former member of Parliament Sydney Chisanga, the PF’s Davies Chisopa will also stake his claim to the seat while the UPND’s Agness Mambwe has also thrown her hat in the ring.
“It’s great that I have lodged my nominations and I am confident that I am winning again,” said Mr Chisanga, who was accompanied by MMD president Nevers Mumba.
Mr Chisopa, accompanied by Vice-President Guy Scott, Minister of Home Affairs Ngosa Simbyakula, Lusaka Province Minister Philip Kosamu and PF Central Province chairperson Benson Chali, is optimistic of winning the seat.
He declared: “My chances of winning here are 99.9 percent.”
Mr Chisopa said he will concentrate on implementing the PF manifesto aimed at construction of roads, provision of water and job creation, among other needs.
Ms Mambwe was accompanied by UPND secretary-general Winston Chibwe and Mwembish lawmaker Austin Malambo.
She said she is the best candidate for the seat and believes that she will win by a landslide.
“I will win by a landslide. My supporters should have confidence in me that I will deliver to their expectation when they elect me,” Ms Mambwe said.
The Mkushi South seat fell vacant after the Supreme Court nullified the election of Mr Chisanga on grounds of electoral malpractice.
And five candidates filed their nominations for the Solwezi Central by-election.
The five are PF’s candidate Newton Malwa, UNIP’s Mary Katiki, MMD’s Lucky Mulusa, UPND’s Dawson Kafwaya and Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD)’s Nathan Mulonga.
Ms Katiki was the first to file her nomination and arrived at the Solwezi Civic Centre at about 10:00 hours with a handful of supporters while confusion rocked the UPND after two candidates arrived at the centre to file on the party ticket.
Former UPND Solwezi Central MP Watson Lumba and Mr Kafwaya’s supporters clashed, forcing election officials to postpone the filing of nominations for the UPND to afternoon.
National chairperson Mutale Nalumango, who witnessed the nominations, had a tough time trying to convince Mr Kafwaya to withdraw to allow Mr Lumba to contest.
After a heated debate, Mr Kafwaya filed his nomination at about 14:10 hours.
PF’s Malwa arrived at the centre around 11:00 hours flanked by provincial chairman Fabian Chiposo and supporters while the NAREP’s candidate, who was supposed to be the first to file nominations at 09:00 hours, failed to show up until the close of the exercise at 15:00 hours.
MMD’s Mulusa filed his nomination at 13:00 hours and was accompanied by some supporters.
Meanwhile, five candidates filed their nominations ahead for the Vubwi parliamentary by-election.
The first candidate to file the nomination was MMD’s Eustarckio Kazonga who was accompanied by provincial and district party officials.
Mr Kazonga said he was the best candidate for Vubwi because he knows the constituency very well.
The UPND will be represented by Alifonso Phiri who was in the presence of party vice-president Canisius Banda.
Margaret Miti of the ruling PF, who arrived at the centre at exactly 12:00 hours accompanied by senior party officials, pledged to work for the good of the constituency.
The FDD’s Charles Nyokaa and Lukas Phiri of UNIP also filed their nominations.

Posted by Editor on August 13, 2014. Filed under LATEST NEWS. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry