Kalaba accuses UPND of scheming to manipulate Katilye Ward by-election in Lupososhi Constituency

The Opposition Citizen’s First (CF) Party has accused the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) of scheming to deliberately cause a postponement of the Katilye Ward local government by-election in Lupososhi Constituency of Northern Province.

Party president, Harry Kalaba, said the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) should not allow the UPND to manipulate the electoral process with impunity and impose a rejected candidate on the people of Lupososhi like it did in Kabushi, Kwacha and Kabwata.

He said the party has reliable information that after realizing that its candidate does not stand a chance against the popular Citizens First candidate, the ruling party is trying hard to force one of the opposition candidates to withdraw from the race.

Kalaba alleges that the UPND has confined the candidate of one of the main opposition parties in an unknown place whom they are trying to force to resign in order to derail the by-election to save it from an embarrassing defeat.

He said the UPND is also targeting the candidates of two small opposition parties sponsored by the ruling party.

“We sternly warn the UPND that Zambians shall not allow what it did in the Kabushi, Kwacha and Kabwata by-elections. They will be held responsible for any consequences of such reckless conduct,” Kalaba has warned.

He said it is laughable that this is the same party whose President was just a few days ago boasting that Zambia is a shining democracy.

Kalaba has further urged the police to be professional for once and seriously follow up this issue because they are aware in order to stop what has described as nonsense.

But UPND Chairperson for Elections, Garry Nkombo, has refuted the claims by Kalaba describing it as baseless and must be ignored with the contempt it deserves.

Nkombo said the party is currently busy mobilizing for its candidate and is confident of carrying the day.

The ECZ has set April 13, 2023 as the date for the Katilye Ward by-election in Lupososhi Constituency which was caused by the death of the Patriotic Front Councillor Sebastian Kaunda.

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