Mapatizya formula
Coined in 2005, following the death of incumbent UPND member of parliament for Mapatizya, Grace Judith Sialumba & the subsequent by election.
In the 2001 general elections, Sialumba whitewashed her closest rival, Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) candidate Ackson Sejani, who had been MP for the constituency from 1991.
Before defecting to the FDD, Sejani was part of the MMD administration under Fredrick Chiluba where he served as local government minister.
It was during this period that he served for two terms as MMD MP—1991 to 2001.
In the 2001 general elections, Sialumba polled 6,649 votes against Sejani’s 1,447.
Sialumba served as UPND MP for Mapatizya until March 13, 2005 when she passed on at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) in Lusaka after an illness.
By 2005, Sejani had already switched political parties & joined the UPND following his resignation as FDD secretary general in December 2002.
The UPND adopted Sejani as their candidate for the June 9, 2005 by election.
At a news conference following his adoption, Sejani declared a political jihad against the then ruling MMD’s electoral corruption & rigging in Mapatizya.
Sejani said the time had come to teach the MMD government a political lesson in Mapatizya.
And true to his word, the ruling party was taught a politcial lesson in Mapatizya.
Violent political campaigns characterized the by election, prompting then MMD national secretary Vernon Mwaanga to plead with the minister of home affairs and the inspector general of police to intervene.
Former Sinazongwe UPND member of parliament, Raphael Muyanda was quoted by The Post saying his party had overrun the MMD camps in Mapatizya.
Sejani’s campaign team was accused of organising a ‘militia’ that attacked government vehicles, impounded food supply convoys, harassed ministers.
In short the UPND in Mapatizya caused wanton mayhem against the MMD camp.
Then Southern Province minister Alice Simango had to transfer certain police officers for what she said was failure to prevent attacks against the ministers and MMD members by the UPND cadres.
In Lusaka, prayers were even held with late President Levy Mwanawasa leading MMD cadres in praying to God so that he could deliver their parliamentary candidate Emmanuel Siamweela to the National Assembly amidst the violent campaigns.
Sejani eventually won the by election & the name Mapatizya formula was added to the Zambian political discourse & is often associated with violent campaigns.
Critics and opponents of the UPND have often used “Mapatizya formula” to describe a hardline campaign approach involving intimidation, mobilization of cadres, and political violence.
The UPND supporters and leaders have generally argued that the formula meant strong grassroots organization, vigilance at polling stations, and protecting votes from manipulation rather than violence
However, the reality has always been different whenever, UPND leaders vow to use the formula in by elections—the 2010 Mufumbwe by election is one such example.
With the UPND now in government, it appears the Mapatizya formula is now in gear five—20 years after it was added to the Zambian political dictionary.
It is now is being used to intimidate political opponents with arrests.
It doesn’t matter whether the political opponents are heavyweights, middleweights or paper weights, ni kaufela.
At this rate, even the passing of gas will be considered an “inflammatory” crime.
ZEMA will be issuing statements warning those in the habit of passing gas anyhow about the consequences of such acts.
They will further give guidelines on where, when & how to pass gas without attracting the long arm of the law.
Attached is a photo of the architect of the Mapatizya formula, the late Sejani.