UPND losing candidate for Matero Constituency Tom Michele has petitioned the victory of PF’s Miles Sampa as member of parliament seeking a declaration that his election be nullified.
Michelo has also cited ECZ as the second respondent in the matter.
He wants ballot papers relating to Matero Constituency to be verified and recounted.
Michelo also wants a declaration that ECZ did not conduct the elections with due diligence and care.
He said Sampa’s campaigns in the lead up to elections were conducted without compliance with provisions and principles of the Electoral Process Act no.35 of 2016 and the code of conduct and the disregard for the law affected the outcome of the election to favour him at the detriment of the petitioner.
Michelo said Sampa was not duly elected contrary to the declaration by ECZ.
He said UPND members in Matero Constituency were assaulted by PF cadres during campaigns under Sampa and Lee Mukupa’s instructions.
Michelo said Sampa made false publications on his Facebook page “Boba TV” and misinformed the public when he (Sampa) alleged that he (Michelo) had withdrawn as a parliamentary candidate for Matero Constituency and that he had endorsed him.
“This has significant effect on the elections as the said post was viewed by over a million viewers and the matter was reported to Mrs Sampa (Nchimunya) who was ECZ’s Matero representative,” Michelo said.
He alleged that there was vote buying in Muchinga, Kapwepwe and other Matero wards as Sampa and his agents distributed 10 kg bags of mealie-meal which were labeled with his name, within the constituency in a bid to solicit votes during the night before elections.
Michelo alleged that Sampa’s team dished out money to electorates and that FDD president Edith Nawakwi who was part of Sampa’s campaign team corruptly sneaked bags of mealie-meal at UCZ Matero congregation to give would be voters at church grounds in order to entice them to vote for Sampa.
He contended that the banning of campaigns in Lusaka by ECZ affected the results of the election.
Michelo said he agreed with Sampa not to have campaigns on the same days to avoid disputes between the two parties but Sampa was against the idea and there was violence in the constituency.
He said former president Edgar Lungu held a rally in Mwembeshi ward in disregard of the directives by ECZ and Sampa directly benefited from the said violation of the directives.
Michelo said UPND member Gilbert Liswaniso was attacked at George Central Primary School by PF cadres whilst he was casting his vote.
He said Sampa and his agents committed electoral offenses during the capture and entry of valid votes cast in the totaling centre at Matero Boys Hall that consequentially influenced the outcome of the election in Sampa’s favour.
“The petitioner’s party agents were consistently not availed Gen 20 documents which made it difficult for them to verify the vote tally figures,” Michelo said.
“Vote counting in most of the polling stations was not transparent, vote tally figures were added to Sampa’s vote tally by pro-PF polling staff.”
Michelo added that Sampa was consequently irregularly declared winner of the election for Matero Constituency as the deliberate breach of the constitution, Electoral Process Act and commission of prescribed electoral offenses favoured Sampa to his detriment.