By REBECCA MUSHOTA –
UNITED Party for National Development (UPND) leader Hakainde Hichilema has congratulated the winners of Tuesday Parliamentary and Local Government by-elections across the country.
Mr Hichilema appealed to the winners to set aside their personal interests and serve the public’s interest.
“We would also like to congratulate the wining candidates and appeal to them to serve the public’s interest at all times, putting aside selfish or personal interests,” Mr Hichilema said in a statement.
The UPND leader, however, bemoaned that voter apathy was again the real winner in the by elections, citing the low turnouts recorded.

. Hichilema

Mr Hichilema thanked all UPND supporters and party members who worked hard throughout the by-elections campaign.
He said the by-election results had demonstrated that the UPND was providing the only major opposition to the PF Government.
“The inroads we have made into Eastern Province and our strong performance in the Senga Hill Parliamentary by-election also provide further evidence that the UPND’s popularity continues to surge across the length and breadth of the country,” he added.
Mr Hichilema said Zambians, having been let down by Government after Government, were understandably fatigued by politics.
Elected representatives must regain the confidence of the people by working hard in a transparent manner and serving the interest of all their constituents equally and not just those that voted for them.
The opposition party would continue to deliver the message that Zambians deserved better from their Government and that change was well within reach in 2016.
Mr Hichilema said his party believed that the staggering and unprecedented amount of by-elections held under the PF Government was a colossal waste of money that could have been better spent on investments into the health and education systems.
The UPND was also pleased that President Edgar Lungu had nominated a new Chairperson of the Electoral Commission Zambia.
“Our position remains that by improving the credibility of the electoral process and introducing the new Constitution we can avoid the need for so many by-elections and thereby avoid this waste. We must now all work together to ensure free and fair tripartite elections in 2016,” he said.