8 July 2009
editorial
THE Patriotic Front (PF) and United Party for National Development (UPND) alliance would do well to resolve its internal problems rather than start accusing the MMD of trying to rig the Chitambo by-election.
Instead of accusing the MMD of conniving with the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to push the election in favour of the ruling party, we feel the PF should sort out the rejection of its candidate by party members in Chitambo.
As Chitambo Constituency PF chairperson Gershom Mukosha puts it in the story we have carried on the front page of this edition, the pact is unlikely to win the Parliamentary by-election because the senior leadership ignored the advice to field a local person.
According to Mr Mukosha, the selected candidate, Chanda Mutale is not a local person and is not known by the people of Chitambo.
This has made it difficult for the local PF leadership, whose party was asked to field a candidate for the opposition alliance in Chitambo, to accept and campaign for the man.
It has not been hidden from the leadership of the opposition alliance that the PF in Chitambo wanted a Mr Philip Kosamu to be adopted because he is a well known person in the area.
This is a real issue which will have a strong bearing on the outcome of the election, and the PF leadership should swallow its pride and listen to what its members are saying than save face by bringing in suspicions of rigging.
In any case, Zambia has an electoral code of conduct and any aggrieved party is free to report any wrongdoing to the ECZ, and the PF has not done that.
We are, therefore, surprised that PF leader Michael Sata and other senior members of the opposition party have opted to ignore this advice from the people on the ground.
The UPND leadership should equally be concerned about the turn of events and push their colleagues to mend the emerging fault lines in Chitambo.
The open rejection of the PF central committee's choice is a serious issue and leaders should address that.
We agree with Vice-President George Kunda that Mr Sata and the PF may have already started growing cold feet after evaluating the limited chances of winning the seat.
It will, however, be folly for the PF leadership and other members of the opposition alliance to expect the MMD to give them the seat just because they have alleged wrong doing without stating any facts.
Until the death of deputy minister of Lands Nassim Hamir, the Chitambo seat belonged to the MMD and the ruling party will try its best to defend it, given that competitors have already divided themselves.
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