By JULIUS PHIRI –

THE race to Manda Hill in the newly-created Vubwi District is on in which 18,084 voters are going to the polls on September 11, 2016, to elect a new Member of Parliament (MP).
The seat fell vacant after the nullification of MMD’s Dr Eustarckio Kazonga on grounds of electoral malpractices, which resulted in the people of Vubwi constituency not being represented in the National Assembly during the past eight months.
This followed protracted litigation in which the Patriotic Front (PF) took the matter to court in order to determine the eligibility of Dr Kazonga and others to stand in an election after losing their parliamentary seats on grounds of malpractices.
The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) set September 11 as a day for elections in which 8,445 male and 9,639 female in the 26 polling stations are expected to cast their vote.
The word “Vubwi” is derived from an ancient river that meanders through the hilly and rough terrain.
So far, five candidates have successfully filed in their nominations and are bubbling with confidence to scoop the parliamentary by-election in a district which was created by President Michael Sata when he came to power.
All the five candidates represent PF, MMD, United Party for National Development (UPND), UNIP and Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD).
With developmental projects currently taking shape in the constituency, each candidate was busy soliciting for a vote from the electorate.
Currently, the district is going through momontous infrastructure developments.
Actually, each candidate was claiming popularity in the hilly district.
Records shows that between 2001 to 2006, Vubwi was held by late UNIP parliamentarian George Philip Phiri while from 2006 to December last year, the seat was being held by Dr Kazonga.
It was not disputable that this time around, people are busy playing the cards on who to cast the vote on and only after elections would the people of the area have a better answer.
PF candidate Margaret Miti said she was confident of scooping the seat and foster development projects in the district.
“I am ready to grab the seat under the PF ticket,” a determined Ms Miti said.
She pledged to foster more development to the remote constituency once her ‘hard dream’ comes alive after the by-election.
Ms Miti, who once stood and later withdrew her candidature as an independent candidate in 2011, said the people of the constituency had been experiencing a number of problems which needed her to sort out once elected as an MP.
“I am well known. I know that I will carry the day after the September 11th parliamentary by-election,” she stated.
Dr Kazonga, who is immediately past area MP, said he was re-contesting the seat under the ruling MMD ticket because of his popularity in the constituency.
He said he was the best candidate to scoop the seat because he has initiated a number of developmental projects in the area.
Dr Kazonga said the electorate should not make a mistake of voting for another candidate but him alone because he had vast experience and knew what the people were looking for.
Dr Kazonga, who served as agriculture as well as local government minister in the MMD regime, said that he was capable of representing people adequately in Parliament after the September by-election.
He explained that during his tenure of office, the MMD government constructed new classroom blocks, health posts, clinics and as well as worked on the feeder roads in the constituency.
He assured the electorate that once elected into office he would lobby for more developmental projects in the remote constituency.
He said the erecting of the MTN mast for the sake of communication was another milestone which he had initiated in the remote constituency.
According to UPND’s Alfonso Phiri, he was ready to represent the people adequately in parliament.
Mr Phiri said he was commanding a lot of support from the electorate in Vubwi constituency.
“I am asking for a vote from my people so that I can enhance developmental projects in the constituency,” he said.
He said he was not new in Vubwi constituency because it was his native land.
Mr Phiri feels he is the best candidate for the Vubwi constituency because he was knowledgeable and wise enough to run the constituency and effectively represent the people once elected.
FDD’s Charles Nyoka said he was confident of grabbing the seat because he was leaving with the local people.
Mr Nyoka promised that once elected, he would not abandon the people but continue staying with them once parliament goes on recess.
“I feel that I am the best man for the Vubwi parliamentary job because I have stayed with them for a long time,” he said.
Mr Nyoka appealed to people to give him massive votes.
UNIP’s Lucas Phiri claimed that he was popular among other candidates.
Mr Phiri said he was currently selling his manifesto to the people without facing any problems.
“If you talk of UNIP, it is an oldest political party with traceable records in various infrastructure developments,” he said.
He said UNIP had picked a best and credible candidate who would beat the other contenders in the by-elections.
The electorate in Vubwi will be trooping to their respective polling stations dotted across the remote constituency to elect their new representative.
It was only hopeful that the people would choose a rightful candidate to represent them in both social and economic development.
One of the tasks, which a new parliamentarian is tasked to do, is to lobby for the electrification of Vubwi district which was currently depending on candles, generators and lamps.