MIKE MPOSHA TO SUE MUMBI PHIRI OVER CLAIMS OF WORKING WITH ECZ TO PRINT BALLOT PAPERS TO RIG KAWAMBWA BY-ELECTION
By Conrad Mwango/Lukundo Nankamba/Leah Ngoma/Tellah Hazinji
Green Economy and Environment Minister Mike Mposha, has disclosed plans to take legal action against Patriotic Front member Mumbi Phiri over her allegations that he conspired with Electoral Commission of Zambia-ECZ- officials in Kawambwa to print ballot papers for rigging tomorrow’s parliamentary by-election.
This follows an incident last evening were PF cadres, led by Mrs. Phiri, stormed the UPND campaign site at a local school in Kawambwa and accused Mr. Mposha of possessing pre-marked ballot papers, an allegation that was later proven to be false.
Speaking from Kawambwa central police station where he filed a complaint, Mr. Mposha expressed his intention to take legal action against Mrs. Phiri and the PF cadres for their unfounded accusations.
Mr. Mposha says he has since instructed his lawyer to proceed with the case, seeking to clear his name and hold those responsible accountable for making false allegations.
Efforts to reach Mrs. Phiri for a comment proved futile by broadcast time, as her phone was unreachable.
And the Tonse Alliance has unearthed a scheme in which the UPND is allegedly attempting to rig the Kawambwa parliamentary by-election against the Tonse alliance candidate, Danstan Mwansa who is standing on the new congress party ticket.
Alliance spokesperson Sean Tembo has alleged that the scheme is made up of two aspects, which involves both UPND and some senior government officials, buying national registration cards and voters’ cards from voters at K100 per voter and that documents will be kept at a designated house near a polling station for voters.
According to Mr Tembo, the second plan by the UPND to rig the by-election involves bribing opposition polling agents and election monitors with K300 each, to cast in favor of the Tonse Alliance candidate, Mr. Mwansa, and render the votes ineligible and considered as rejected ballots.
He says the two rigging schemes were narrated to by voters in various wards of Kawambwa constituency, who have been approached by the UPND to participate in these schemes, and some of who have been paid already.
But Nangoma constituency member of parliament Collins Nzovu who is part of the UPND campaign team, has dismissed Mr Tembo’s allegations as false and baseless, stating that the opposition has sensed defeat because they are in disarray and lack proper campaign messages.
Meanwhile, PF member Mumbi Phiri has refuted the claims saying she did not see any ballot papers or even make such a statement.
Ms. Phiri has also expressed disappointment at Mr. Mposha for threatening to take legal action against her adding that the circulating video clearly shows that she did not make such statement
PHOENIX NEWS