Maravi

MINISTER Beats UF [PF] Cadres

MINISTER Beats UF Cadres
By Chibaula Silwamba, Gweny Phiri and Zumani Katasefa
Saturday November 10, 2007 [03:00]

Luapula Province minister Chrispin Musosha on Thursday night physically beat up Patriotic Front (PF) cadres at Chingol And PF Nchanga member of parliament-elect Wylbur Simuusa said the people had “spoken very loud and clear” by electing him with a difference of over 6,000 votes ahead of his closest rival, MMD’s Charles Chimumbwa.

The fight started soon after Musosha, in the company of sports, Copperbelt and gender ministers Gabriel Namulambe, Mwansa Mbulakulima and Patricia Mulasikwanda respectively, went to the civic centre around 21:00 hours to verify results that indicated that Simuusa was way ahead of Chimumbwa.

As the quartet passed by the PF cadres that gathered and sang solidarity songs for Simuusa outside the council chambers, some cadres booed them.

However, Musosha, Namulambe, Mbulakulima and Mulasikwanda managed to pass but when they entered the council chamber, they protested about the behaviour of PF cadres.

While in the chamber, Namulambe looked for Chingola town clerk Charles Sambondu – the district electoral officer - who was not in the building at the time. Thereafter, Namulambe, using his mobile phone, called Sambondu and directed him not to announce the results and declare the winner before a re-count was done.

Some PF members heard Namulambe telling Sambondu not to announce the results. This annoyed them and they immediately went outside to alert their colleagues that Namulambe was demanding for a recount of results.

At that point, a PF member came into the council chamber passage shouting that there shall be no recount because the PF had a landslide victory.

Musosha, who stood just a few metres away from a Post reporter, charged at the PF cadre and grabbed him by the neck, punched and hit him against the door frame.

“What do you mean that you don’t want a recount? We have to recount the results!” shouted Musosha as he held the man by the neck, causing him to struggle for a breath.

Musosha, a retired soldier, continued pushing the PF cadre against the wall while squeezing his neck with a left fist.

An MMD member from Luapula Province, Samuel Chewe, joined in the fight while a PF team came in to rescue their colleague.

PF’s Chingola member of parliament Dr Joseph Katema was battered in the fracas as he tried to rescue his party member. Other PF youths that were outside trooped into the building and exchanged blows with Musosha and Chewe.

Simuusa, who was at the scene, sought refuge in the nearby room.

In the meantime, Namulambe, Mbulakulima and Mulasikwanda abandoned Musosha and went to hide inside the council chamber.

Police officers had a tough time to restrain the Musosha and Dr Katema-led camps. They only managed to pacify the situation after struggling for about five minutes.

Youthful Kitwe mayor Divo Katete was among PF members that earlier harassed Musosha and Mulasikwanda when they entered the council chamber.

Earlier when they entered the chamber, Namulambe, Musosha and Mbulakulima bitterly complained to police officers about PF cadres’ booing.

“How can a minister be treated like that while state police officers are looking?” protested Namulambe.

Copperbelt Province police commanding officer Antoneil Mutentwa had to re-enforce security to contain the near-volatile situation.

After the situation normalised around 21:10 hours, both PF senior members and MMD leaders and ministers went into the chambers where they waited for the final results up to about 01:00 hours.

The delay in announcing the results annoyed PF cadres that were shouting: “The MMD wants to rig! We will not allow you to rig!”
Namulambe, Mbulakulima, Musosha, Mulasikwanda and health deputy minister Dr Lwipa Puma had behind the scene meetings within the council chambers, as they waited for results in panic.

Chingola district commissioner Tobby Maliti slept for several minutes on the chair while waiting for the results to be announced.

The last set of ballot boxes came late around mid night and the electoral officers only finished tallying the results just minutes before 01:00 hours.

At about 01:10 hours, returning officer, George Lupali declared Simuusa winner of the by-election.
“Good morning ladies and gentlemen. I, George Lupali, being the returning officer for Nchanga constituency do hereby declare that I have in accordance with the law ascertained the results of the poll in the said constituency and that they have been given to: (1) Kaoma Lillian - independent 47 votes, (2) Gondwe Plyson – UNIP 78 votes, (3) Simukoko Stanley- FDD 103 votes, (4) Kachamba Ginetone – independent 110 votes, (5) Simwinga Alvin- UPND 532 votes, (6) Mwape Christopher- APC 587 votes, (7) Chimumbwa Charles – MMD 2139 votes and (8) Simuusa Wylbur – PF 8 201 votes,” Lupali said. “I further declare that a total of 149 ballot papers have been rejected as invalid. Further, I declare that a total of two ballot papers have been disputed. I, therefore, declare Mr. Simuusa Wylbur as the duly elected member of parliament for Nchanga.”

In a post election interview, Simuusa said the people had spoken.
“I’m very happy with the results, the people have spoken, the message is very loud and clear,” said Simuusa.

Efforts to contact Chimumbwa proved futile as his mobile phones were off the whole of yesterday.

Chimumbwa’s campaign manager Namulambe said the results were shocking.

Musosha, who was also in Chimumbwa’s campaign team, conceded defeat.

“I personally accept that we have been defeated and well, the PF worked according to what they had planned. We also did our best,” said Musosha. “The only problem was the confusion. In our politics we need to develop a culture of maturity whereby whether you win or not, we don’t have to fight, so the level of maturity is still yet to be reached.”

PF members and supporters burst into spontaneous celebration after Simuusa was declared winner.

Labels: CHRISPINE MUSOSHA, MINISTERS, PF

posted by MrK @ 2:34 PM