By REBECCA MUSHOTA, MOFFAT CHAZINGWA and NORMA SIAME –
VOTING in the Solwezi West and Lubansenshi constituencies got underway yesterday amid riots in Kalumbila area of North Western Province where 21 suspected UPND cadres were apprehended.
During the ensuing fracas, two police officers sustained head injuries from the stone throwing cadres forcing the officers to use teargas to disperse the unruly group.

. Libongani

Inspector General of Police Stella Libongani said the suspected opposition supporters rioted after police stopped them from holding a rally because they did not provide prior notice.
The incident happened on Wednesday between 16:00 hours and 21:00 hours in Kalumbila when the group turned riotous after police and authorities at Manyama Basic School advised the party against holding the planned rally at the school grounds.
Ms Libongani said in a statement yesterday that instead of adhering to police advice, the cadres threw stones, blocked the road and smashed police equipment that was at a nearby police post.
“This act left two officers with head injuries forcing the police to use tear gas in order to disperse the riotous cadres. As a result, 21 people were apprehended and are in police custody. They would be charged accordingly,” Ms Libongani said.
She expressed disappointment at the behaviour of the cadres, but no similar incidence was recorded in Lubansenshi of Northern Province.
Vote counting had since commenced in the two by-elections that saw a relatively average voter turnout with polling stations opening up early yesterday.
A check around Solwezi West polling stations found some polling stations with long queues in the morning, but few voters trooped in as the day progressed.
Solwezi District electoral officer Venture Kafula said voting in all the 38 polling stations, with a total voter population of 33, 309, opened at 06:00 hours.
Mr Kafula said in an interview that the voting process in the morning went on smoothly with no major incidents of violence or any sort of confusion save for isolated instances of allegations that were, however, amicably resolved.
The Solwezi West Constituency parliamentary seat fell vacant following the death of Member of Parliament Humphrey Mwanza this year.
Three candidates, Martin Mbaye for the ruling Patriotic Front (PF), UPND’s Teddy Kasonso and John Njombi of United National Independence Party (UNIP) were contesting the seat.
In Lubansenshi vote counting promptly got underway after 18:00 hours with the turn out being slightly above average.
Voting centres opened on time at exactly 06:00 hours as hundreds of voters made a steady stream to cast their ballots before midday.
The constituency, which according to the election register has 20,198 voters, was generally calm.
Observers from the US embassy’s political office and FODEP were found going round selected polling centres observing the process.
The election was being contested by five candidates who all claimed they were going to win.
The five were Gabriel Mulenga from the MMD, George Mwamba of the PF, Rainbow’s Daniel Mubanga, UPND’s Patrick Mucheleka and independent Charles Chimumbwa.
FODEP executive director McDonald Chipenzi said his organisation was impressed with the voter turnout which he attributed to the relatively calm atmosphere.
The Lubansenshi seat fell vacant after Patrick Mucheleka the former Independent MP now standing on the UPND ticket had his election nullified by the courts.