FRAUDULENT BY-ELECTIONS
The by-elections that are being held by the Electoral Commission of Zambia are nothing but a fraud, a waste of money and time.
We have been participating in these by-elections since 2021 and experiencing the same violent and fraudulent conduct by the UPND, which the ECZ and police don’t seem to be able to do anything meaningful about.
We have been victims of UPND violence in most of these by-elections, but we, the victims, have ended up being arrested and detained by police but never prosecuted. We have reported many incidents of UPND violence against us to police but not a single arrest or prosecution to date.
We have been attacked by UPND cadres in front of police officers and even in a police post, but no arrests and prosecutions. The police can’t act against UPND violence. But they are very quick to arrest us when we try to defend ourselves. For instance, in the ongoing Mayembe Ward by-election campaigns, UPND cadres, with the support of Ministers Elvis Nkandu and Elias Mubanga, have erected a barrier on a public road in full view of the police and they search Socialist Party and PF motor vehicles and confiscate whatever they want with impunity.
We have complained to the police but nothing has been done. Last evening, Socialist Party members were stopped at this barrier and harassed in full view of the police. What did the police do? They released teargas cannisters on our members – the victims.
The UPND leaders and cadres do as they please. They have no respect for ECZ campaign timetables. They go where they want, even if it is not their day to be there. Complaints are made to ECZ, but nothing changes. They take over government buildings and set up their campaign camps there with impunity. They use government motor vehicles in their campaigns. They simply remove the registration plates.
District Commissioners, who are civil servants, are always part of their campaign teams, using government motor vehicles, often with registration plates removed.
In Mayembe Ward, the DC for Shiwang’andu is part of Ministers Nkandu and Mubanga’s campaign team. The DCs for Mpika, Kanchibiya, and Lavushimanda are campaigning for UPND in Kapamba Ward.
Buying votes is seen as something normal by the UPND. Minister Nkandu does it openly, he doesn’t hide, and he has earned himself the name of Tantameni.
But the UPND hasn’t learned something from the PF who used to ‘win’ almost all the by-elections they engineered but lost all in the general elections!
There’s a total collapse of the electoral system. It’s a total fraud – they are not free, fair, and peaceful and don’t reflect the will of the people. And if things are not corrected now, we are headed for disastrous general elections in 2026.
But this impunity, criminality and abuse of power, coupled with excitement we are seeing in the UPND leadership today will backfire very badly.
This country belongs to all of us!
Fred M’membe
President of the Socialist Party
You are finished Mr chief tribalist
Hakainde and his UPND party are repeating the same mistakes made by PF.
Musonda opposition ababa daddy. Pa last uzanya manzi iwe!
You are right Danger the man is very frustrated to point of death. He will together with his backers never see goodness in the current govt. This man must ride it low. He is just copying what the former ruling party did and he wants to cloth UPND with unworthy clothings. The man is very bitter to see HH ruling the truth must be availed. This opposition leader must find a better way of presenting hIs manifesto to the people of Zambia for him to fully win the support. His approach if he does not change it will not help him gain popularity across board. Membe give alternatives or advise to the current govt instead of condemning it daily with no seemingly solutions.
You want him to behave like HH and start promising Zambians heaven on earth? It doesnt work that way every politician has their own strategy. If Fred is not gaining popularity you would not waste your time talking about him. Just admit that you are feeling the heat suckers. Yours is only one vote so wait for the votes to be counted. 2026 Aleya!
You are right Big senior gaining popularity is in many ways. Names are made loud in many ways. At times people see you to be a correct person to lead whilst the opposite is true through of course what you utter out. I believe if elections were to be held today you would quickly believe what I and others mean. Unless you are like your leader in exhibition of unmeasurable hatred. Not everything your leader puts across is not correct but the way he comes out. Even HH is not upright at times he needs to be corrected or reminded. Actually he even extend olive branch to who ever might have a resounding mind or solution to current placing issues pertaining to improving the economy. At times we just have to admit when something good is brought out. Around this time Big senior sure can someone compare PF to UPND in terms of orderliness?
When someone is already sensing losing, he can say anything. Before the by election is done he is already complaining and accusing ECZ. Where is the proof for all these allegations? Just go and campaign, your friends the Kampyongos and some Cabinet Ministers are there. Just see to it that you leave your gun behind this time otherwise you may run into trouble again.