Maravi

Mufumbwe by-election candidates confident of victory

Mufumbwe by-election candidates confident of victory
By Speedwell Mupuchi and Jane Mwakasungula in Mufumbwe
Thu 29 Apr. 2010, 04:40 CAT

UPND president Hakainde Hichilema addressing thousands of people at the rally in Mufumbwe on Tuesday for the by-election slated for today-Picture by Abel Mambwe

CANDIDATES in today’s Mufumbwe parliamentary by-election are bubbling with confidence of winning the seat against the backdrop of skirmishes between MMD and UPND cadres in the campaigns.

The by-election was occasioned by the death of MMD area member of parliament Misheck Bonshe. UPND’s Elliot Kamondo, 45, said he was expecting victory after campaigning for over three weeks.

“We have gained a lot of momentum and all we are expecting is victory,” said Kamondo, a local businessman and former school teacher. “A few might be intimidated by the violence that might bring about voter apathy, but the momentum is too high, and according to my survey and the last rally we had, it shows we are heading for victory.”

Kamondo said in all the 16 wards in Mufumbwe, the MMD had done nothing in terms of development.

He said after his victory, he would have a lot to do in education, health, youths and women issues.

“I have a big challenge but we have to work hard in order to sort out some of these challenges,” said Kamondo.

UPND campaign manager Watson Lumba said he had no doubt that Kamondo would win today’s election even with the violence by MMD and intimidation by some chiefs.

Hakainde Hichilema, addressing a public rally in Mufumbwe on Tuesday said the MMD was a barren party that had failed to produce fruits in nearly 20 years of its existence.

He likened MMD to a person who marries a wife and for 19 years bear no child and when the woman wants to leave for a productive man, he tells her to give him five more years.

“Come to me and Kamondo who bear children, MMD is barren,” he said.

Hichilema said MMD should leave power for people who were serious to address the challenges in the nation.

He promised to change the system under the fertiliser support programme by giving people free fertiliser for three years so they could grow food all year round.

He also told the people that his government would offer free education from grade one to university.
Hichilema condemned President Banda for flying around in a helicopter and not driving to see the suffering of the people.

“In Kaminzekezeke, Miluji, Mushima, Lalafuta, there are no roads, you have to pass through Kasempa to access them, I have been to these places,” Hichilema said.

He urged voters to vote for Kamondo and promised to ensure that a bank and a filling station were taken to Mufumbwe.

“It’s time for Muzungu and Rupiah Banda to retire, we will look after them. Muzungu was member of parliament and minister when I was a student at the University of Zambia. What is it that he wants to do now which he failed to do when he was a minister?” asked Hichilema.

“Don’t waste your time on Kamwengo because there is no UNIP anywhere in the country.”

Hichilema promised to take 20 heads of cattle for celebrations if the people voted for Kamondo. And UNIP’s Stephen Kamwengo said he would win today’s by-election.

Kamwengo said people in the area did not need Muzungu because he was very old and a failure while Kamondo was tribal.

The 37-year-old Kamwengo said he was a local person. He said Mufumbwe was under-developed.

“There is no bank in Mufumbwe, there is no filling station and the M8 road Mutanda – Chavuma people want it completed, if they want it uncompleted, let it remain so where MMD member Ronald Mukuma is,” he said.

Kamwengo said Mushima area had no single communication infrastructure, signifying the failure of the MMD.

“They have turned Kasempa into their district, the Kalengwa – Mushima road was only worked on during the Kaunda era. The road to chief Mushima’s area is like a stream. I doubt if people can vote for the MMD with that failure. Muzungu has even failed to build a house at his own farm here so there is no reason why people should vote for him,” he said.

Kamwengo said at Kaminzekezeke, there was only a ramshackle of a clinic and since UNIP left, no single school had been developed in Mushima area.

“Let’s take Kamwengo to parliament to sort out this place. We need an MP who will also make the council work and I am such a person,” said Kamwengo.

Kamwengo said as for the UPND, they were advancing Hichilema’s 2011 candidacy and not Kamondo. Muzungu refused to say anything, accusing The Post of unprofessionalism in its reporting.

MMD campaign manager Daniel Kalenga said Muzungu who had been parliamentarian, minister and diplomat before would straight away start working when elected in today’s election.

He said the other candidates would struggle to learn how things were done.
“We expect a win, we have done our homework,” declared Kalenga.

Labels: BY-ELECTIONS, CADRES, ELLIOT KAMONDO, HAKAINDE HICHILEMA, STEPHEN KAMWENGO, UNIP

posted by MrK @ 2:50 PM