UPPZ ticks off ECZ

…As Chanda challenges the commission to disclose who was in charge of the Kasenwngwa by election.

By Francis Maingaila

Lusaka (07-09-18) United Prosperous and Peaceful Zambia (UPPZ) president Charles Chanda has not only criticised the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) mismanaging the elections but also challenged the commission to disclose the names of officers that were sent to man the election in the just ended Kasenengwa Parliamentary by election.

Chanda told journalists when he arrived from his tour of duty in Kasenengwa at the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (KKIA) this morning that his aware that the ECZ wa not in charged of the Kasenengwa by election.

According Chanda, officers from Special Division who were supervised by a Director of Operation were in charge of the election.

“The presence of officers from special division disabled the commission to the extent that they reduced to mere  spectators.”

To rule out the possibility of any doubt and errors, Chanda want the commission to tell the nation who was in charge of the election.

“We challenge the ECZ to tell the nation who conducted the election in Kasenengwa. The people of Zambia have right to know who was in charge of the election failure to which we shall conclude that the officers from special division were in charge.”

Chanda is of the view that the running of election in Zambia today is not only very emotive but also becoming a source of confusion and if nothing is done to correct the situation, there is a possibility of rebellion breakout any time soon against the PF.

He said what happened in Kasenengwa where the president kept on calling the director of operation from special division to ensure that the opposition does not win the Kasenengwa seat is not acceptable.

He said the party has got evidence to prove that the election in Kasenengwa was manipulated in favor of the PF.

Chanda also discloses that on an election day, K4 million was disbursed to Kasenengwa to pay electorates to vote for the PF candidate.

He said his party has not conceded defeat but will have to reconsider the option of challenging the election in the courts of law on account that, more money will be spent after the fresh election is called.

When we petition the election, the seat will be nullified. To call fresh election will mean more civil servants will have to stay for months without salaries.

Chanda is also aware that civil servants are not yet paid and those who were paid had their salaries cut due to non availability of funds.

“This situation is likely to be worse if we petition the election and have it nullified on account of massive vote swapping, vote buying, falsification of election results and violence which took place in the Kasenengwa by election.”

He added that as s response party, we would rather give up the seat for the sake of progress and planning the future.

Instead, Chanda explained, he will in the coming weeks organise a meeting for all opposition party leaders to map the way forward and end the electoral malpractice which the PF has introduced in the electoral system.

He said the meeting should take place before the 2021 election otherwise if this does not happen, the PF will continue to steal election.

Chanda also castigated the creation of new districts saying was draining funds from the treasury.

He also questioned the rationale of having rural districts when the situation was already taken care of by chiefs and headmen.

He said when UPPZ form government, he scrap of all the rural districts and empower traditional leaders who already has the responsibility to look after rural areas.