KATUKA, NKOMBO, MPUNDU SUED OVER SIOMA INTRAPARTY ELECTIONS…as police pursue two UPND officials for obtaining money by false pretence
By Daily Revelation reporter
United Party for National Development (UPND) in Sioma district have sued their party leadership asking the court to declare Sioma district and constituency intraparty elections null and void.
And police in Sioma have summoned two UPND senior members on allegation of obtaining money by false pretence.
The plaintiff, Ng’andwe Mwila in this case is seeking that Sioma district and constituency intraparty elections be declared null and void.
Mwila has thus sued UPND secretary general Stephen Katuka, Mazabuka law maker Gary Nkombo (UPND chairman for elections), and Bernard Mpundu (UPND commissioner), as defendants.
Particulars of the case are that the said elections were conducted using unlawful electoral college with no record of having participated in ward elections; that the eligible electoral college members who paid participation fees were excluded from participating in the elections; that the agreed venue for elections was changed from Mulele ward to an unknown place; and that participants in the elections were informed late of the change of venue for the poll, and that the distance was long – thus making it impossible for them to travel.
The plaintiff has placed an interim injunction against entertaining the newly elected Sioma district and constituency committees from participating in the forthcoming provincial intraparty elections slated for December 19, 2020.
With this injunction Sioma may not participate in the provincial elections.
And Police in Sioma have summoned two UPND commissioners, Felix Ngoma and Eugen Kapatiso for obtaining money by false pretence.
Over 300 UPND members in Sioma are said to have complained to police alleging that the two commissioners got money amounting to over K6700 to conduct elections which they did not.
UPND insiders have disclosed to Daily Revelation that Kapatiso and Ngoma, being commissioner and mandated to conduct free and fair district and constituency intraparty elections went away with participants’ money in the pretext that they would conduct elections.
And when contacted, Kapatiso confirmed receiving money but blamed another UPND commissioner Bernard Mpundu of deliberately causing the problem.
Kapatiso explained that after money was paid by participants, it was given to Ngoma who later submitted to the secretariat.
“What happened is that people paid money. Ward (election participation fee was) K50, (while) constituency & district K150. Amount was about K6700. We went with Mbangu Mabangu, Musangu Njamba and Felix Ngoma. But elections were not conducted that time because of confusion. And it was agreed that because of the confusion, secretariat would reschedule the elections at a later date. (And) two weeks ago, when I was in Chililabombwe, I was informed of the elections. And I told them that I am the one in possession of the list of those who paid to participate in the elections,” Kapatiso continued to explain. “So, I drove back and gave Ba Mpundu the list because he was appointed as commissioner by secretariat to conduct the elections this time around. But it was clear that Mr Mpundu had his own agenda to favour a certain group of people. This is the same group ba Gary Nkombo and Ngoma refused. I just gave them the papers and went to Kabwe. But the same rejected group; the group which came from MMD is the same group Mr Mpundu fused in the structures.”
Kapatiso alleged that Mpundu failed to conduct the elections with participants on the list he was given. He said instead, Mpundu fused in the structures different people who did not even pay participation fees.
“So, Ba Ngoma told me that the police in Sioma called him that you and me got people’s money for the elections which did not take place and they want back their money. And, a few minutes (later), I received a phone call from the officer in charge in Sioma telling me about the same money. I told him that it’s true that people paid money and people did not participate. And they did not even go where elections were supposed to take place. Instead, elections were conducted at the house of the chairman and not the agreed venue. And people who participated were not the right people to participate.
Kapatiso accused Mpundu of having a hidden agenda to put him and Ngoma in trouble.
“Mpundu just wants those people to send me to prison, that’s why the police called me asking where the money that we got is,” he alleged.
He said the money he collected was given to Ngoma who later deliver to the party secretariat. He said he had no idea how that money was used as it was the sole responsibility of the secretariat to disburse of such funds.
“People indeed paid but money was given to commissioner Ngoma. Yes, people have the right to go to police. What people wanted was to have the elections conducted and right people to participate in the elections. This is why I gave all papers to Ba Mpundu but what he did was not good. He conducted elections with wrong people who were not even on the list. This is why people went to police. Those who paid are about 306, and these are the people who are complaining. Had Mr Mpundu followed what I gave him, this issue would not have been there,” complained Kapatiso.
Efforts to get to Mpundu failed as he could not be reached by Press time. -Daily Revelation