PF, UPND in adoption dilemma …Will Jonas Chanda stick to PF?
Now that most of the political parties especially the biggest competitors, PF and UPND are about to adopt their preferred candidates to contest in the August 11, defections and divisions will become the holder of the day due to the nature of politics we have unfortunately found ourselves in.
Aspiring candidates in both the PF and UPND are flashing out money like no man’s business.
Breakups and divisions are inevitable ahead of the forthcoming elections because those aspiring candidates who feel they are popular but are left out of race will certainly opt to either join other existing political who go as independent candidates depending on the situation.
One might argue and most aspiring candidates when asked what they would do if they are pushed to the wire, they respond that they are going to be loyal to the party but the truth is the opposite especially in these elections where ambitious candidates have been allowed to campaign. Most of them have lost money hence the only mitigation is for them to get to parliament so that they recover their hard-earned resources.
Kabwata Constituency has been put on spotlight. It is in this Constituency where PF aspiring candidates are throwing money to candidates as if there is no tomorrow. So being left out in the race in this Constituency means one has been killed financially. Therefore, I don’t think any PF candidate would take it kindly when they pushed to the wire. In short, Danny Yenga may not campaign for Clement Tembo or the other way round if he is not adopted to contest the elections on the PF ticket. Time will tell but as Kwacha, we don’t think that will be a case.
There is a classic example to what we are talking about…in 2016, in his usual way of politics, Hakainde Hichilema disgraced Dr Canisius Banda by appointing Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba as his Running Mate. What happened thereafter? Dr Banda who promised to remain loyal to the party was later accused of holding clandestine meetings with PF officials and the rest is history.
There are many examples we can give- According to the Lusaka Times, Health Minister Jonas Chanda was on Tuesday left sweating after he miserably lost the vote in the race to be re-adopted to stand as Bwana Mkubwa Member of Parliament on the PF ticket.
According to the score sheet obtained from the Constituency Executive Committee, Dr Chanda lost the vote to his main rival Warren Chisha Mwambazi after the incumbent only managed to get four votes out to the 20 available.
This saw Dr Chanda go into a frenzy and confiscated the score sheet and forced the Acting Constituency Chairman a Mr. Chitalima to go into hiding in an attempt to disrupt the process and nullify the vote.
This is what we are talking about. If PF and UPND are not careful, they will go down owing to their poor adoption process. There will be serious divisions and splitting of votes, leading to the rerun.
In our assessment, it could have been better if adoptions are made long before the General Elections so that the political parties can find solutions if there are eminent division and defections arising from the adoption process.