By CHUSA SICHONE and MOFFAT CHAZINGWA –
SEVEN candidates vying for the Katuba Constituency parliamentary by-election have successfully filed in their nominations papers.
The candidates included Patriotic Front (PF)’s Moses Chilando, United Party for National Development (UPND)’s Jonas Shakafuswa, Cecil Holmes for MMD, and Friday Malawo representing UNIP.
Other successful candidates were National Restoration Party (NAREP)’s Joseph Mushalika, Patricia Mwashingwele for Alliance for Better Zambia, and National Revolution Party’s Shakespeare Mwakamui.
Mr Shakafuswa, who is the former area MP, was the first to file in his nomination papers at 09:55 hours while Mr Holmes was the last at 15:45 hours.
Security was so tight at Muwanjuni Primary School, the nomination centre, that police managed to control some UPND cadres who wanted to enter the centre in large numbers, thereby, going against the agreement between the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) and contesting political parties.
The ECZ and political parties recently agreed that only nine supporters, three party officials and two election agents should be allowed into a nomination centre.
However, the UPND cadres did not take that restriction lightly, resulting into pushing, shoving and bitter exchange of words with the police.
Calm was later restored after police reinforcement around 10:40 hours and after UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema urged his party members to leave the nomination centre gate and position themselves at a distance.
Vice-President Guy Scott, who was among the senior party officials who accompanied Mr Chilando, said the PF candidate stood a better chance to scoop the seat.
The Katuba seat fell vacant after the death of area MMD Member of Parliament Patrick Chikusu, who was also Health Deputy Minister.
Meanwhile, 10 candidates yesterday successfully filed in their nomination papers for the forthcoming Wusakile Ward by-election, making it one of the highly competitive local government polls.
The exercise held at Wusakile Secondary School started one hour late, from the official set time of 09:00 hours,.
