By Mwape Musonda cic Private Reporter.
NORTHERN~Chilubi.
ECZ HOLDS SUCCESSFUL STAKEHOLDERS MEETING WITH FOUR PARTICIPATING POLITICAL PARTIES IN CHILUBI BY ELECTIONS.
Tempers flared between the two rival parties namely the UPND and PF on the debate on dates submission to hold campaigns to avoid clashes during campaigns.
Both UPND and PF kept on blaming each other over who doesn’t follow the rules and regulations of electoral code.
PF submitted through Mr Benny Kabwela that the campaigns be given a day to each political party per ward to which UPND disagreed that doing so will disadvantage other political parties who may not be well equipped logistically as Chilubi District is so vast with 22 wards with less than 19 days to go submitted by UPND’s Edward Makayi.
UPND also submitted that they need more time even if it’s not there to ensure that far areas that require long hours to reach such as swampy wards takes close to 3 days with boats to reach are factored under special timely circumstances submitted by Risto Mushembe of UPND.
In countering the submission PF objected saying that the swampy wards are accessible by speed boats which can take only 5 hours to reach and it’s not the duty of ECZ or the meeting at hand to discuss wether or not UPND or any opposition parties are ready for the by elections or not. Submitted by Chilubi PF MP Hon Mulenga Fube that he knows opposition MPs who have proper landcruisers and other vehicles why not bring them in the campaigns, he said the essence of competing in an election is a game of competition which anyone going into the game must check their capacity.
Chilubi District UPND chairperson Mr Mwakwa objected that PF has booked all the boats non of the opposition will be able to travel because the only mode of transportation is prebooked in advance by PF hence knocking other colleagues out even if it means crossing the lake Post boat has been booked for PF only and how can opposition bring their mode of transportation on the Island, he submitted further that it so happened in the parliamentary by elections where no boat was available for hire by anyone as PF booked everything a scenario that has repeated itself.
In countering proposals further Mr John Kasongo of PF agreed to the motion of having a day allocatef to a certain political party saying the similar strategy worked perfectly in Lukashya Constituency China ward where all political parties benefitted.
UPND’s Edward Makayi stood in objection telling Mr Kasongo that actually in Lukashya Constituency of Chiba ward he is a witness and victim of how PF attacked the campaign venue of UPND in China ward when the timetable showed that it was UPND’s day yet vehicles where damaged and people injured that the report is right there in Kasama as no PF cadre was brought to book hence calling Hon Fube and Mr Kasongo liars. Makayi’s submission did not seat well with PF leadership who through ECZ requested that he withdraws the word liar to which he maintained his words without apologies because it’s something that should not occur in Chilubi by elections.
Makayi further addressed ECZ and the Zambia Police representatives for assurances of their professionalism ahead of Chilubi by elections because PF are on record disturbing UPND and using their reaction to be arrested. He submitted further that having a stakeholders meeting is one thing but respecting electoral code of conduct is another thing because PF never respects ECZ neither do police take any action citing the example of a PF cadre in Kasama smashing a car in full presence of the police. He begged them saying that Chilubi looks like the last election on the calendar hence the need to behave like normal human beings for once.
Zambia Police representatives led by the Chilubi Island station officer on behalf of the officer in charge responded to the submission by UPND’s Makayi that his office in Chilubi is totally different from other places law brakers will face the law.
UPND’s Risto Mushembe also submitted that it’s not a secret that among the four political parties only PF stood advantage of the other four because they have access to coffers a statement he was requested by ECZ to withdraw and he did.
Mr Mushembe said that it’s not possible to traverse 5 wards in one day because the areas are so vast and communication challenge is to huge but PF through Mr Tute Lewis said that discussing strategies how a political party will handle the logistical movements or campaigns should be entirely a private matter but the time is not there candidates are supposed to sale themselves how they do it it’s up to them or better still plant people in all the wards where candidates can’t reach.
Mwewa Dominic from PAC submitted that indeed time was of essence hence the need to make progress but asked ECZ if those allocated time frames their president Mr Andford Banda was welcome to Chilubi and ECZ agreed that all political parties will have their SGs communicated too.
The stakeholders settled on the mathematical division of 22 wards by 4 political parties in 20 days which they arrived at 5 and hence the timetable was produced.