A public debate for Chifubu Constituency Parliamentary by-election candidates started with a fracas in Ndola yesterday as cadres of the contesting parties tried to out-shout each other with slogans, resulting in some of political parties withdrawing their candidates from the public debate.
The fracas resulted in the Patriotic Front (PF) and UNIP candidates boycotting the debate hosted by the Press Freedom Committee of The Post at Mpezeni Hall.
Party cadres of the various political parties that included the MMD and the Alliance for Democracy and Development (ADD) thronged the stage shouting out their respective party slogans.
Quick action by police officers assigned to the event saved the situation from turning violent. MMD and ADD candidates, Frank Ng’ambi and Brian Banda, respectively went on with the debate.
Mr Ng’ambi said the ruling MMD is the only party with a vision on development that will improve the living standards of the people.
He said the people in the area were tired of the PF councillors who have failed to fulfil their pre-election promises.
“MMD will remain in power as most of the projects are being implemented,” he said amidst shouts of ‘MMD no change’.
Mr Ng’ambi said if elected he will accelerate development, including the construction of a referral hospital.
He said job creation for the youths through various projects will be the main agenda.
And Mr Banda said the boycott of the debate by the PF and UNIP candidates showed that they have nothing to offer to the electorate.
[pullquote]PF Ndola district chairman Rebby Chanda said they had to leave the forum with their candidate because they were uncomfortable with the security.He said police officers were outnumbered by the crowd. [/pullquote]
“People should now realise that their leaving is an indication that they have nothing to offer to the people of Zambia,” he said.
He said if elected into office he will ensure that a by-pass road to connect Chifubu with Mufulira road is constructed.
PF Ndola district chairman Rebby Chanda said they had to leave the forum with their candidate because they were uncomfortable with the security.He said police officers were outnumbered by the crowd.
And speaking earlier, when introducing the MMD candidate rally at Chifubu ground, Mr Mbulakulima said governing the nation is not a simple matter.
He said MMD has been in power since 1991 and its candidate should be elected to foster development.
Copperbelt MMD chairman Joseph Chilambwe said people have realised that the MMD is a worthy party and are rejoining it.
“Following increased development and implementation of projects by MMD, a good number of people are ditching the opposition political parties and are rejoining MMD,” he said.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
How possible is that in a PF stronghold? Or have things changed “on the ground”?
DELETED AFTER FIVE COMPLAINTS
As long as they don’t use my tax money to tell lies, I have no problem. In this report I have not seen any lies, unlike in some so called independent media which dig very deep for lies.
Fack the elections!!! A full went to MUVI TV and said Zed students in Russia were given baggage allowances and they used it to marry, why the stupedety from GOvernment? They want to concentrate on rigging election. GIVE US THE BAGGAGE ALLOWANCES YOU MORONS
#4 I feel for you, these sw.ines are not looking after govt sponsered students in foreign lands – they dont care because their dull imb.ecile offsprings are swirling in people’s money.
ADD has supporters????
Am I the only one seeing this????……PF members also boycotted the meeting and walked out of the hall saying that they were not going to be intimidated because they were outnumbered by MMD cadres who accompanied their candidate Frank Ng’ambi.
But when called to find out why PF members and their candidate Susan Kawandami had gone out when the meeting was about to start, Ndola district chairman Rebby Chanda said it was not safe for their candidate to be in the hall.
“We are going because that place is fully packed and it is not conducive for our candidate, she is not safe in that place because they are many people, there is no order in that place,” said Chanda.
wamya munzi for sure
HARD TIMES AHEAD GUYS IF PF CAN BE INTIMIDATED IN ITS STRONGHOLD WITHER SATA
#6 ADD has supporters wait for the results on the 5th you will be able to tell.
6 & 9 my thoughts exactly LOL
What did ADD say at the public debate?. You haven’t covered them. Why?
I cant wait for the remix of this story from some sections of the media as it is populary called.
Honestly, on the ground the race is between MMD and this new party ADD. The Pact has disappointed us.
Honestly speaking, the PF candidate in Chifubu is a liability, i was watching the debate on ZNBC yesterday and iot came out clearly that the MMD candidate was more issue based in his arguments unlike the Pf who kept repeating the now boring ‘lower taxes and more money in your pockets’ n.o.n.s.e.n.s.e, MMD is grabbing this seat unless PF re-strategises…
#14, you are assuming people are interested in issues and they are actually paying attention. If that were the case, MMD would have been dislodged in the past two elections. Just look at the state of schools, public roads, clinics, hospitals, etc. I pity the electorate because it can be lied to and it will go home to their daily load shedding with a jump rope and a squeal in ecstacy, like a 9 year old would.
Sata’s nauseating moral nudity
YOU may fault George Mpombo for his daily bulletin of bitter outbursts at President Rupiah Banda who preferred eminent lawyer George Kunda to him for the lofty position of Republican vice-president in 2008.
So it is difficult to understand Mr Mpombo’s frustration which makes him insult President Banda and Mr Kunda every other day. It appears even when he is asleep, all he thinks of is how he would frame his new set of insults the following morning.
Even as Mr Mpombo continues to make these gaffes with gay abandon, he has his other side for which he must be credited, particularly his description of some politicians who are literally an embodiment of moral nudity.
The more one listens to Patriotic Front (PF) leader Michael Sata changing colours like a chameleon and turning solemn functions into stages for comedy, the more they are bound to agree with Mr Mpombo’s views on the former colonial police constable. Living manifestation of evil “We on the Copperbelt are united. Don’t listen to political demagogues like Michael Sata. I am always saying Sata is a living manifestation of evil, he has got a spiritually and politically debauched mind,” said Mr Mpombo in May 2006.
No one knows what is in the PF Manifesto. PF has completely failed to manage the councils they hold. Sata is only good at lashing out and not being put on the spot. If you put him on the spot, you get visited by his Thugs. What lower taxes is this chap talking?
Tomorrow, we will see a different version of the story from the “Spin Doctors” at The Post. The only thing that Sata can come up with today is that Chiluba is finished. We all know Chiluba is finished and Zambians should pay attention to his utter garbage.
Sata..Sata the great man in the politics of Zambia. Sata the son of bravery. Sata who subdues all forces of Zambian polictics. Sata who has sent many hanging in their folly as to think PF will not retake Chfubu. Sata..Sata who without, the MMD thugs would have sold Zambia. Sata Sata where have you come from?????????