By Thomas Ngala
WHILE congratulating Tonse Alliance for scooping the Petauke Central parliamentary seat, the opposition Socialist Party (SP) says the victory does not however mean the by-elections were free and fair.
In a statement issued yesterday, SP chief presidential advisor Brian Hapunda lamented that there was no level playing field in the just ended by-elections.
Hapunda added that victory in Petauke came at a time when all opposition players faced difficulties in their campaign.
“As SP, we would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the opposition NCP for having won the Petauke Central Parliamentary seat. This victory comes at a time when all of us in the opposition did face difficulties campaigning in Petauke especially that there was no level playing field. This victory also demonstrates that nothing can stop determined people and that the UPND cannot win an election by depending on weaponizing public funds, the ECZ and police,” he said. “While many will be celebrating that democracy has won, the truth is that this victory is as a result of people getting frustrated and are annoyed by the UPND to deliver farming inputs on time, reduce mealie meal prices to K50 per 25kg as promised, reduce fuel prices to K10 per liter as they
promised and load shedding and many other promises that they made.”
Hapunda said it is unfortunate that district commissioners have continued to campaign for UPND candidates during by-elections against the ethics of the civil service.
“So, the fact that the victory had been recorded by the opposition does not mean in any way that the election was free and fair. It is on record that District Commissioners from across Eastern Province were in Petauke abusing their authority and yet this is against the civil service ethics as they are not allowed to campaign for political cadres. So, this is a slap in the face of President Hakainde Hichilema and also the entire UPND leadership because they have been misleading themselves in the previous by-elections,” he stated.
