‘UPND officials in Livingstone threatening to resign from the party’

UPND officials in Livingstone are reportedly threatening to resign from the party and stay away from campaigns after information emerged that the party has adopted former Livingstone deputy mayor Mathews Jere who is under investigations by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

The officials have warned that if the party settles for Jere, then the ruling PF’s Omar Munsanje may go unopposed as Jere might be arrested.

The officials accuse UPND provincial chairman Billiard Makwembo and other officials of attempting to influence the process in favour of Jere.

According to information which is circulating among party officials in Livingstone, Makwembo and other senior party officials are alleged to have been given money Jere so that he support his adoption.

By law, Mathews Jere does not qualify to stand as a Member of Parliament due to the fact that the Livingstone City Council was suspended for gross misconduct by councilors by the Local Government Minister Stephen Kampyongo.

It further states that anyone who is removed from office due to misconduct does not qualify to stand for any political office.

Last week, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) issued a statement that UPND Livingstone central aspiring candidate Mathews Jere was under investigation in connection with the illegal sale of a piece of land in the tourist capital.