LOSING UPND parliamentary candidate for Shiwang’andu Constituency Albert Munanga has petitioned the election of Stephen Kampyongo as member of parliament for the said constituency.
Dr Munanga wants the Lusaka High Court to declare that Kampyongo was not duly elected or returned and his election was void.
Dr Munanga said Kampyongo was not duly elected MP for Shiwang’andu Constituency because the election was characterised by widespread malpractices, vote buying and corruption.
He said Kampyongo, a former Minister of Home Affairs, engaged in violence against other candidates and their campaign agents for both parliamentary and local government with impunity.
Dr Munanga said at the instruction of Kampyongo, PF cadres damaged a motor vehicle, a Toyota Land Cruiser registration No. ABG 6830 at Mukokile camp on May 21, 2021.
He said Kampyongo and a Ms. Evelyn Kangwa (Chinsali district commissioner) on June 2, 2021 directed the police to impound a truck, which he was using for campaigns and it was at the police for 34 days to his detriment.
Dr Munanga said Kampyongo’s agents, Sokopipo, Sebastian and other PF cadres assaulted UPND candidate for Mayembe ward, Derick Simuchindo.
“On July 8, 2021, Kampyongo instructed potential voters at a rally in Mutambo village not to allow any other political party candidate hold a campaign meeting in the area,” Dr Munanga said.
He stated that Andrew Kalulu, a parliamentary candidate on the Socialist Party ticket, was brutally assaulted and left unconscious by PF cadres in the presence of Kampyongo.
Dr Munanga said Kampyongo commissioned a health post at Mutitima village on August 11, 2021 and threatened the community to vote for him if they were to access medical attention at the said facility.
He claimed that Kampyongo was captured on a video donating K1000 to villagers at Mwitwa village as a contribution towards the community clinic project when it was for purposes of inducing villagers to vote for him the following day.
“Kampyongo and Kangwa went to Chiseko Primary School, a polling station on Election Day and threatened to chase and demolish houses belonging to UPND members,” he stated.
Dr Munanga stated that Kampyongo’s brother Andrew, Matthews Chilekwa and Phily Sinkala brutally assaulted UPND members at Kalalantekwe and the incident was captured.
He added that his polling agents were restricted from entering Kasashi polling station.
Dr Munanga said Kangwa supplied Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit relief mealie-meal to PF cadres who distributed to would be voters on Election Day.
He added that the headman of Machela village threatened to remove villagers on the list of beneficiaries for the Social Cash Transfer funds if they did not vote for Kampyongo.
“Kampyongo forced poll staff at Mutambo village to allow Anthony Makwaya to vote using his father’s voters card and NRC and was seen on Election Day giving cash handouts of K20 notes to voters on their way to various polling stations as an inducement to vote for him,” said Dr Munanga.
In a similar matter, UPND’s John Sichinga has petitioned PF member of parliament for Mafinga Constituency Robert Chabinga for his election.
Sichinga says Chabinga was not duly elected because elections in Mafinga Constituency were not held in a conducive atmosphere due to widespread malpractices, vote buying, bribery and corruption.
He said ECZ did not verify Chabinga’s grade 12 certificate as information had emerged that the same was forged.
Sichinga said ECZ did not allow his party representative to witness the arrival and verification of ballot papers when they were delivered to Mafinga district.
“Chabinga’s campaign team led by Joe Malanji gave cash handouts ranging between K40 and K300 to attendees of their rallies at Thendele and Muyombe on August 8, 2021,” Sichinga said.
“On August 11, 2021, Chabinga, acting through his agents, distributed Social Cash Transfer funds to villagers throughout the constituency as an inducement to vote for him and his party and further threatened recipients that they would be removed from the list of beneficiaries if they do not vote for his party the following day. Chabinga further promised newly listed beneficiaries of Social Cash Transfer payments on August 13 after they voted for his party.
Sichinga said Chabinga, through GGOZA, distributed foodstuff, money, mealie-meal and provided transport to voters in various polling stations.
He is praying for an order that Chabinga was not duly elected or returned and the election was void.
He also wants the court to declare the Chabinga was not duly nominated as he did not have the requisite grade 12 certificate.
He wants the court to declare that Chabinga was not duly elected or retained and that his election be nullified because he does not have a minimum grade 12 certificate.