MILES SAMPA APOLOGIZES TO ECZ OVER FAKE POLLING STATION CLAIM

SAMPA APOLOGIZES TO ECZ OVER FAKE POLLING STATION CLAIM

Matero Member of Parliament Miles Bwalya Sampa has formally apologised to the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) after admitting that his public claim about a fake tent polling station along Lilayi Road during the recent elections was incorrect.

In a statement, Mr Sampa said the ECZ had demanded an apology after it emerged that the allegation was not true.

He explained that the information had initially been brought to his attention by residents on voting day, who alleged that a tent polling station had been mounted and that voters were being ferried from Chilanga.

Mr Sampa stated that he had acted on the information after sending a Patriotic Front (PF) official to verify the claims.

According to him, the official confirmed the existence of the tent and expressed doubts because the station was not familiar from previous elections in Chawama.

“It was at that point that I blew the whistle,” Mr Sampa said.

However, he later visited the site himself and was informed by ECZ officials and police officers present that the polling station was legitimate.

He further explained that he returned to the station after polls closed to witness the counting of votes, which showed the UPND candidate leading with 74 votes, while PF candidate Bright Nundwe had seven.

Despite these results, Mr Sampa admitted he remained suspicious until results from other areas such as Misisi, Kuomboka, Chawama Central and Kuku showed strong support for Mr Nundwe.

He acknowledged that these outcomes contradicted his earlier fears.

Mr Sampa said he accepted full responsibility for misleading the public.

“Having been misled to state publicly that the tent polling station was fake and yet not as it has turned out, I take full responsibility,” he said.

He added that, in line with the ECZ’s demand and guided by his religious convictions, he had decided to apologise publicly.

“I wish to formally hereby render an apology to the ECZ,” Mr Sampa said, noting that in future he would verify such allegations directly with ECZ CEO Brown Kasaro before issuing any public statements.