Maravi

MMD, PF differ in Msanzala

MMD, PF differ in Msanzala
By Christopher Miti and Roy Habaalu in Msanzala
Fri 17 Feb. 2012, 11:59 CAT

VOTING in the Msanzala by-election started on a high note with many voters waiting outside most polling stations.

A check at Mawanda Basic School found over 50 voters waiting to vote around 05:00 hours. After 09:40 hours, 300 people had voted with many more on the queue waiting to cast their ballot.

At Nyamphande Basic School, PF officials and some MMD/UPND pact cadres exchanged bitter words after MMD candidate Peter Daka and former UPND Siavonga parliamentarian Douglas Syakalima visited the polling station.

Some PF officials accused Daka and Syakalima of campaigns during the polling day.

Daka who arrived at about 7:34 hours took time to move round the three voting streams at Nyamphande Basic School. After realising that Daka was taking long, PF officials accused him of campaigning.

About 221 out of 621 registered voters had voted at Nyamphande Basic School.

At Mwambula Shamatala Basic School polling station, about 50 out of 820 registered voters had voted by 06:44 hours. At Nsamba polling station, 141 people had cast their vote out of 952 registered voters at about 8:30 hours.

Petauke district electoral officer Josephine Phiri said official results would be out by midday today. Phiri said all was well and that most polling stations opened at 06:00 hours.

"So far we have not recorded any incidences and we are praying that it doesn't rain because if it does then things will be difficult for us because some roads may become impassable," she said.

The contestants in the Msanzala by-election are MMD's Daka, PF's Colonel Joseph Lungu, UNIP's Shadreck Banda while Usuman Maumba contested the seat as an independent.

Labels: BY-ELECTIONS, MMD, PF

posted by MrK @ 4:13 PM