LOSING Democratic Party (DP) candidate in last Thursday’s Kabwata parliamentary by-election, Fred Mubanga, is shocked that he got zero at a polling station where himself, his family members and friends voted from.
Mr Mubanga is wondering how he could have voted for another candidate when he wanted to effectively represent Kabwata residents in Parliament. United Party for National Development (UPND) candidate Andrew Tayengwa emerged victorious after beating his closest contender Clement Tembo of the Patriotic Front (PF).
Mr Tayengwa polled 13,754 against Mr Tembo’s 11,192 votes, while Mr Mubanga only attracted 124 ballots from the 27,677 people who turned out to cast their ballots. Kabwata constituency has 108,721 registered voters, meaning that the turnout was 25.46 percent, with 157 rejected ballot papers.
On the other hand, Patriots for Economic Progress has threatened to petition the poll results after its candidate Henry Muleya came out last in the race with 30 votes. The PF has also rejected the outcome of the poll.
In interview yesterday, Mr Mubanga wondered what magic was involved in the electoral process which led to the disappearance of his vote and those of his family members and friends.
“I am still shocked that even at Kawambwa polling station at Libala Secondary School where I voted for myself, I got zero. “How is that possible? I don’t know if it was Seer 1 powers that were at work for my votes to just go missing. I am still trying to… -Zambia Daily Mail