Protests Mar Adoptions; Request Muntanga Suffers Stroke, Chipungu Rejected

Widespread protest have been recorded in various areas following adoptions of parliamentary candidates. Nominations for civic leaders start today, but people in various areas have rejected their candidates.

Long serving UPND national mobilisation chairperson Request Muntanga is among the casualties left out of the adoption process. He is admitted to UTH after suffering a minor stroke following the party’s decision not to adopt him for the August 11 general elections.

Meanwhile, PF cadres in Chongwe and Rufunsa have protested the adoption of Japhen Mwakalombe and Kenneth Chipungu as their MPs. In Chongwe, the PF members rioted demanding their preferred candidate Misheck Nyambose be announced as the adopted candidate.

In Kawambwa, constituency, ward and branch officials have asked President Edgar Lungu to urgently withdraw the adoptions of former area member of parliament Nickson Chilangwa and council chairperson Angela Sichone.

Members of Muntanga’s family members confirmed at UTH that the former Kalomo Central UPND member of parliament had a minor stroke resulting from high sugar levels.

“Yes, he has been admitted. His sugar levels went up and that caused a minor stroke. He usually has this problem, he is diabetic,” said a family member who refused to be named.

But sources within the UPND said Muntanga’s illness came following the party’s decision not to adopt him to recontest the Kalomo Central seat.

“A number of people are getting shocked with the outcome of these adoptions. So many have been left out, and that is what has caused our brother to get that minor stroke. He was very sure he was going to get adopted so that he can recontest the Kalomo Central seat. But when he got word that he is not there, things got bad,” said the source.

In Chongwe, PF cadres yesterday rioted to express their anger over the party’s adoption of Mwakalombe for the August parliamentary election. Police have since arrested four PF cadres for riotous behaviour.

The cadres, comprising mostly of youths and marketeers, blocked Great East Road for close to two hours before police moved on the scene and arrested the four who have been detained at Chongwe Police Station.

And some residents talked to said it was unfair for the ruling party to impose a candidate who was going to cost the party an election.

“We want Nyambose; no Nyambose, no PF. That man has done a lot for the people of Chongwe and should they go ahead and give us Mwakalombe, we will vote for the UPND,” said Albert Nonde.

Meanwhile on the other side of the road, UPND supporters organised themselves and started chanting slogans, calling on their party leadership to give them another candidate and not the former member of parliament, Sylvia Masebo.

And the PF executive committee in Kawambwa has given President Lungu 48 hours in which to rescind his decision, failure to which all officials and their cadres would resign from the party and join the opposition or vote for independent candidates in the forthcoming general elections

The resolution was made at a meeting chaired by Kawambwa Central constituency chairperson John Chisanga, attended by six PF district officials, eight ward chairpersons and representatives from 450 branches.

The PF officials said Chilangwa had failed to deliver during his five-year term while Sichone had no grade 12 certificate as required by the current Constitution.

And constituency information and publicity secretary Cosmas Nyemba said there would be no 50 per cent plus one vote for President Lungu if he does not withdraw Chilangwa and Sichone’s adoptions.

In Rufunsa, youths have ganged up against the adoption of Chipungu. The youths argue that Chipungu has been in power for 10 years but virtually done nothing for the party.

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