Africa-Press – Zambia. The Patriotic Front (PF) candidate Lawrence Shaba has won the Luangwa Mayoral by-election which was held yesterday beating his closest rival from the United Party for National Development by 308 votes.
According to the final results declared by the electoral commission of Zambia, the PF candidate scored 4 075 and the UPND candidate scored 3 767 and the socialist party candidate scored 382.
The vacancy in Luangwa District was created as a result of the dismissal of the appeal on 24th June, 2022 by the Constitutional Court. Earlier, the Local Government Tribunal nullified the Luangwa Council Chairperson’s seat on 24th September 2021. The seat fell vacant after being nullified by the local court for allegedly electoral malpractices exhibited during the August 12 polls. The seat was held by Mr Lawrence Shaba of the Patriotic Front (PF).
During the day voting in the by-election for council chairperson in Feira Constituency in Luangwa Town, Lusaka province was reportedly progressing well. The returning officer, Mwangi Haninga, confirmed that voters at various polling stations started queuing around 03: 56 hours to cast their vote.
Mr Haninga said in an interview that the voting exercise is going on smoothly and in a peaceful environment. By mid-day, at the Soweto polling station, over 250 voters had cast their votes out of 700 registered.
At Luangwa primary polling station, both stream 1 and stream 2 registered over 300 voters collectively cast their votes. Mallya and Katondwe polling stations had over 250 and 167 voters who had cast their votes by mid-day.
Mr Haninga affirmed that all the required mechanisms have been put in place in readiness for counting after the voting period. The polling stations which opened at 06hrs will close at 18 hrs.
The Chairperson by-election was being contested by United Party For National Development (UPND)’s candidate Arthur Lungu, Leadership Movement (LM)’s Mumba Geoffrey and Socialist Party (SP)’s, Njobvu Christopher. Others are Shaba Lawrence for the opposition Patriotic Front (PF), and Sikasote Julius, an Independent as candidate.
However, there were reports that UPND cadres in the morning attacked a convoy of the SP and PF members and smashed the vehicle belonging to the Fiera Member of Parliament.
According to Socialist PArty President Fred M’membe: “This is the cause of the violence in the Luangwa council chairperson by-election. It was the cause of violence in the Kaumbwe parliamentary by-election in Petauke. It was the cause of violence in the Lufubu ward by-election in Mwansabombwe, Sokontwe ward by-election in Milenge and in the Lukutu ward by-election in Lubanseshi, Luwingu. And it will be the cause of violence in the coming by-elections and probably even the 2026 general elections.”
“It’s very sad that this has become a pattern of political and election campaigns for UPND. But it is a very dangerous approach which is bound to backfire because violence begets violence. There’s no one with the monopoly of violence. It is neither sustainable nor a dignified way of doing politics or winning elections.”
“There must be some cool heads, voices of reason and restraint among them or else the country is headed for very serious problems. The exercise of power must be a constant practice of self-limitation and modesty,” he said.
The same cadres who caused havoc in the area have been reported chasing all opposition election polling agents and observers from their designated polling stations.
An eye witness said three vehicles namely Ford, Hilux and Prado full of UPND cadres and well known officials are going round polling stations chasing polling agents in the ongoing Luangwa local government by-election.
One of the ECZ polling staff of a named ward said the UPND officials have been removing opposition agents from the polling stations without any explanation. He said all this is being done in presence of the ECZ senior officials and Police officers.
Some NGOs and Churches have confirmed this incident and found that all polling agents from opposition political parties in Mpuka Ward are not in their designated polling stations.
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