• Delegates cast their votes during the Copperbelt Patriotic Front (PF) elections held on Saturday evening at Ndola’s Hindu Hall. Picture by JAMES KUNDA

By REBECCA MUSHOTA and MOFFAT CHAZINGWA –

THE Patriotic Front (PF) on the Copperbelt has successfully held elections in which Masaiti PF chairperson Stardy Mwale was elected chairperson.
Mr Mwale polled 293 votes beating Mines, Energy and Water Development Deputy Minister, Richard Musukwa who polled 222 votes to become the new chairperson.
The  previous provincial executive committee was dissolved last year in August.
The elections were held at Ndola’s Hindu Hall and voting started on Saturday  going into yesterday around 03:30 hours after which counting started at about 08:30 hours.
Three officials from each constituency on the Copperbelt constituted the Electoral College bringing the number of delegates to more than 500.
The returning officer was PF chairperson for Elections, Sylvia Masebo.
The position of vice-chairperson went to Stephen Kainga who beat Menyani Zulu.
Nathan Chanda polled 337 votes against Jones Kaliati who polled 140 to assume the position of youth chairperson.
Hilda Kawesha beat three others and got 117 votes to emerge women’s chairperson. Other people that were elected were David Bwalya Nsala of Kitwe as treasurer and Keith Maila of Mpongwe scooped the deputy treasurer position.
Tenant Chishimba got the position of information publicity secretary and he would be deputised by Kalulushi Mayor Howard Simpemba.
Amon Chisenga scooped the position of secretary and he would be deputised by Ken Siachisumo.
Fourteen other positions were filled and the new executive committee is expected to coordinate party structures in readiness for the 2016 general elections.
Meanwhile, former Mufulira PF district chairperson John Katati and his team have petitioned last week’s election results that ushered in a new district executive led by Dominic Mwale.
Mr Katati and other members in his previous executive suffered humiliating defeat at the hands of Dr Mwale’s camp which scooped all, save for a few positions that were up for grabs in the district executive elections held a week ago at Hindu Hall in Mufulira.
But Mr Katati has petitioned the results of the elections to PF’s chairperson for elections Sylvia Masebo alleging that the polls were not free and fair.
He said in an interview yesterday that he felt was robbed of the victory because the elections were allegedly manipulated by some people to favour their preferred candidates.
“We have petitioned the chairperson for elections Madam Sylvia Masebo to nullify last week’s election results because of the manner the polls were conducted which was not free and fair,” he said.
Mr Katati said he sent the petition letter last week on Tuesday to Ms Masebo which was copied to Party President Michael Sata and Secretary General Wynter Kabimba giving grounds why the election results should be nullified.
PF deputy Secretary General Bridget Atanga who flagged off the election could not be reached for comment as her mobile phone went unanswered while member of the Central Committee Ngosa Simbyakula who conducted the elections said Mr Katati was free to petition because that was his democratic right.