Thu, 27 Apr 2017 12:55:02 +0000
By VIOLET TEMBO
THE ruling Patriotic Front (PF) party has scooped the Masaiti council chairperson seat polling 7,777 votes out of the 13,156 cast.
The opposition United Party for Nation Development (UPND) party managed to collect 5,222 votes.
At 6:45 hours on Wednesday morning, Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) Masaiti district Returning Officer Emmanuel Chilombo declared PF candidate Christine Chande as the overall winner of the election.
“I, Emmanuel Chilombo, Returning Officer for Masaiti district having ascertained the results in accordance with the law declare that 5,222 have been given to Matuvu and 7,777 votes to Chande.
“Chande being the overall winner has been elected as Masaiti district council chairperson.
“A total of 13,156 votes were cast and 157 ballots had been rejected,” Chilombo announced as the ruling party broke into jubilation lifting their candidate in the air.
According to results from Masaiti district, PF party candidate polled 4,680 with UPND candidate obtaining 3,031.
70 ballots had been rejected and 7,781 were total ballots cast in the district.
In Kafulafuta district what obtained was that PF amassed 3,097 while UPND garnered 2,191 votes while total votes cast were 5,375 and 87 ballots recorded as rejected.
Newly elected council chairperson Ms. Chande expressed happiness at the outcome and gave gratitude to the party for the support it rendered in the run up, until the poll day.
Ms. Chande indicated that her first assignment in office would be to address challenges women faced in the area and education sector.
And Masaiti parliamentarian Michael Katambo stated that he was overwhelmed with the result obtained, noting that grabbing the seat from opposition party portrayed the confidence people had in the current administration.
Mr. Katambo stated that he would work with Ms. Chande to ensure that the area developed.
Meanwhile, provincial party chairperson Stephen Kainga stated in an interview that the ruling party was gaining momentum in the area.
Copperbelt Province Minister Bowman Lusambo, who is Kabushi Member of Parliament (MP) vowed to ensure that the entire lamba land was dominated by the ruling party.
“This victory says a lot, one being that Presidency of Edgar Lungu is recognised in lamba land and that the Head of State has entrusted this province with a lamba by giving me the provincial office to manage, this victory has paid back for the gesture.
“I promise President Lungu that with the party leadership in the province, we will change the entire lamba land- Ndola rural into 100 percent PF stronghold because people need development which can only be attained with the current administration,” Lusambo said.
