CHAWAMA IS OURS
Opposition unites to defend Tasila’s seat
By George Zulu
OPPOSITION political parties yesterday sent a strong message that they will not allow the United Party for National Development (UPND) to ‘steal’ the Chawama parliamentary seat when they fielded one candidate for the forthcoming by-election.
Meanwhile, panic rocked the UPND campaign team ahead of the filing of nomination papers at Chawama Primary School yesterday, when word went round that its preferred candidate, Timothy Kantenga, was not eligible to participate in the parliamentary by-election because he is not a registered voter.
Under the banner of the Tonse Alliance, the opposition has picked Bright Nundwe as its candidate for the Chawama by-election.
Addressing residents and supporters after Nundwe successfully filed his nomination papers, Tonse Alliance acting chairperson Given Lubinda said personal hatred against former president Edgar Lungu necessitated the by-election.
Lubinda said the UPND had stolen the Chawama seat by declaring it vacant at the time when a sitting member of Parliament, Tasila Lingu, who had held it was mourning her father in South Africa.
“We are still mourning and we shall not stop mourning our beloved president. However, because of the hatred the UPND have for the Lungu family today we are here to participate in this by-election. It is not a result of Tasila dying. Tasila is not dead, but because of the hatred they have against the Lungu family. So as we campaign, we need to remind the people that we are here because the UPND hate us,” he said.
And Socialist Party (SP) president Dr Fred M’membe, whose party has also rallied behind the Tonse Alliance, urged the people of Chawama to rally behind the popular candidate of the coalition.
“We are here to support and offer solidarity to our candidate in the Tonse Alliance. Let’s maintain peace. Let’s go in to win. Let’s not allow the UPND to steal this seat from us,” Dr M’membe said.
The Tonse Alliance is using the Forum for Development and Democracy (FDD) as its special purpose vehicle for the by-election in Chawama.
Former minister of information Chishimba Kambwili said Zambia needed a united opposition ahead of next year’s general election and the unity should start now.
Kambwili castigated the opposition parties which had decided to field their own candidates outside the alliance, appealing to the people to ignore them.
“Mwe bamunyinane twamitotela sana pakwisa shindika candidate wesu. Apa mumwene tulebomba ifipani fyonse. Balya bonse mumwene abasomwekemo ngo munwe wa pakati, te bakupasako na mano. Namumona ba M’membe bali pano, ba president Chifumu Banda bali pano, ba Right Msoma bali pano, umwaice wandi Cosmo [Mumba] ali pano. Twaliita bonse amapolitical parties ukuti tubombele capamo, na balya abali palya baliikanafye beka [my brothers and sisters we are grateful for coming to witness the filing of papers for our candidate. We called all parties to work together, even those there, but they refused on their own. We have Dr M’membe here with us, State Counsel Chifumu Banda and many others with us here],” he said.
Five candidates have filed for the by-election.
Independent candidate George Mwenya was the first to file, supported by a movement calling itself Ichabaice.
Leadership Movement (LM) candidate Ntazana Musukuma also successfully filed his nomination ahead of the January 15 by-election.
Musukuma said Zambia was bigger than the UPND and, therefore, Chawama residents should reject violence by voting for the Leadership Movement candidate.
Citizens First (CF) candidate Captain Davison Mulenga promised Chawama residents better representation.
Meanwhile, panic rocked the UPND campaign team ahead of the filing of nomination papers at Chawama Primary School yesterday, when word went round that its preferred candidate, Timothy Kantenga, was not eligible to participate in the parliamentary by-election because he is not a registered voter.
The situation forced the UPND to call for an emergency meeting where candidates were changed, settling for Morgan Muunda.
UPND chairman for elections, Garry Nkombo, apologised to the party structures for an oversight in the vetting process of candidates ahead of the nominations.
