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THE opposition UPND has adopted former Deputy Minister of Finance Jonas Shakafuswa as its candidate in the forthcoming Katuba parliamentary by-election.
UPND deputy secretary general Kuchunga Simusamba said the party concluded the selection process at its national executive meeting yesterday and settled on Mr Shakafuswa as its candidate.
Mr Simusamba said in Lusaka yesterday that the party is confident of winning the by-election through Mr Shakafuswa.
“We [UPND] were looking for a candidate who is popular and loyal to the party. So, we can safely say that we have won the by-election,” he said.
Mr Simusamba said four people applied to stand on the UPND ticket but after various considerations, the party comfortably settled on Mr Shakafuswa.
He said the UPND leadership is proud to adopt Mr Shakafuswa because he is a former member of Parliament (MP) for the same constituency.
And Alliance for Better Zambia (ABZ) has adopted Patricia Mwashingwele as its candidate for Katuba parliamentary by-election.
ABZ national chairperson for women Mary Phiri said in a press statement issued in Lusaka yesterday that the party is confident that Ms Mwashingwele will scoop the seat.
She said 12 people applied to stand on the ABZ ticket but 11 were disqualified because they were not card-carrying members.
“We are confident that she will be the first member of Parliament for ABZ…Our candidate is a credible and energetic women, who loves the people of Katuba constituency.
“She [Ms Mwashingwele] lives among them and has been involved in a number of activities at the service of the community, especially women and youth,” Ms Phiri said.
She said Ms Mwashingwele has proved to be loyal to the party and is supportive of ABZ president Frank Bwalya and is a good advisor to him.
Recently, Patriotic Front deputy secretary general Bridget announced that the party adopted Moses Chilando, a businessman of Katuba constituency while MMD settled on Cecil Holmes.
The Katuba seat fell vacant following the death of Deputy Minister of Health Patrick Chikusu late last year.
Meanwhile, ABZ secretary general Eric Chanda has resigned from his position because the party president, Father Frank Bwalya, decided to go into an alliance with MMD.
Mr Chanda said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that there was no consultation process within the party before arriving at a decision to form an alliance with MMD and other parties.
He said he does not agree and support the decision for ABZ to form an alliance with MMD because the former ruling party neglected the people of Zambia for 20 years and that it was allegedly involved in corrupt activities when it was in power.
“What has changed now to start dinning with MMD? I can’t dine with the party that pushed people into poverty for 20 years,” he said. “What future does MMD have?”
But Fr Bwalya said Mr Chanda was relieved of his duties because he missed five consecutive meetings which was against the party’s constitution.
“I wrote him [Mr Chanda] a letter removing him from his position as SG, and it was delivered to him. So, he can’t say he has resigned. If he is saying he resigned, then he has resigned as a party member not as SG because I removed him,” he said.
