KABWATA SEAT PETITIONED – PeP cites violence and other forms of malpractices

THE Kabwata Parliamentary seat has been petitioned.

Patriots for Economic Progress (PeP) president Sean Tembo has cited violence and other forms of malpractices as the reason for taking such an action.

Mr Tembo said they decided to file in the petition after consulting their lawyers concerning the violence and the issue of vote stealing by the ruling UPND.

He said the issue was that power was cut at the totaling centre which would have enabled people to tamper with votes because security was compromised.

He said the other reason that prompted them to petition was the discrepancies involving the Democratic Party candidate, Mr Fred Mubanga.

Mr Tembo said the fact that the DP candidate was given zero votes despite him voting for himself was fertile ground to file in their petition. 

He said the ruling UPND engaged in violence and actually attacked his supporters at St Patrick Basic School which was actually the totaling centre for the by-election.

Mr Tembo said he filed in the petition around 12:30 hours but that they had not yet served the papers since they handed them in late.

“Yes I can confirm that I have filed in the petition due to the number of happenings that took place prior and after the day of voting,” he said.

He said he was hoping that the courts would overrule the by-election results which saw UPND’s Andrew Tayengwa win.

Mr Tembo said that the petition should show that UPND were not above the law and that was the reason why he had decided to take legal redress.

A number of political parties including the PF contested the election results and claimed that they were not free and fair.

The PF also vowed to petition the elections but has remained mute despite the 14 days ultimatum elapsing.

PF president Given Lubinda said that the party would give their official position once they had completed their consultations with the legal team.

“What I can tell you is that we are working on this matter and at the right time we are going to indicate our position over the matter,” he said.

Mr Lubinda said he was aware that time was flying but that they knew what they were doing despite the two-week period ending today.