By JULIUS PHIRI –

FORMER MMD Eastern Province chairperson Kennedy Zulu has welcomed the nullification of MMD parliamentary seats by the courts.

Mr Zulu said this was because the MMD in 2011 changed its campaign strategy, which resulted in electoral malpractices.

He said that instead of using members of the provincial, district and constituency committees to be campaign managers for parliamentary candidates, each candidate was appointed campaign manager.

Mr Zulu also said that some candidates formed their own campaign teams instead of working with MMD party structures.

He said this resulted in some candidates flouting electoral laws out of ignorance as some candidates were participating in such an election for the first time.

Meanwhile, former Luapula Province permanent secretary, Ben Phiri has backed the decision by the court to nullify the election of Victoria Kalima as member of Parliament for Kasenengwa Constituency.

Captain Phiri, who also participated in the Kasenengwa parliamentary election in 2011, said that the nullification of the seat had clearly vindicated some losing candidates who were sceptical about how the entire process was done during the election.

He said the Judiciary should be commended for trying to remedy many irregularities that characterised the September 2011 general elections.

Captain Phiri, however, said that despite his support for the nullification of the seat, he was not interested in re-contesting it.