UNITED Party for National Development (UPND) members of Parliament (MPs) have challenged their Namwala counterpart Robby Chizyuka to resign from the party and prove his popularity by re-contesting the parliamentary seat.

The MPs said that if Major Chizyuka resigned from the party, they would meet him in the by-election and ensure that he loses the Namwala seat.

"We challenge him to resign today (yesterday) so that we meet him in Namwala and he will be beaten," spokesperson for the MPs, Garry Nkombo said at a Press briefing in Lusaka yesterday.

The MPs who challenged Maj Chizyuka are Kalomo MP Request Muntanga, Ackson Sejani of Mapatizya, Monze MP Jack Mwiimbu, Highvie Hamududu of Bweengwa, Magoye MP Ben Mweemba and Gwembe MP Brian Ntundu.

Others were Pemba MP David Matongo, Katombora MP Regina Musokotwane, Moomba MP Vitalis Mooya, Stephen Katuka of Mwinilunga East, Boyd Hamusonde of Nangoma and Edward Kasoko of Mwembeshi.

The rest were Raphael Muyanda of Sinazongwe, Munji Habeenzu of Chikankata, Godfrey Beene of Itezhi-Tezhi, Douglas Syakalima of Siavonga and Charles Kakoma of Zambezi West.

Mr Nkombo said only Mbabala MP Emmanuel Hachipuka and his Luampa counterpart Josephine Limata could not sign the petition demanding the resignation of their Namwala counterpart because the two parliamentarians were out of the country.

Mr Nkombo said it was absurd that Maj Chizyuka could be attacking the leadership of the pact when the UPND extraordinary general assembly endorsed the decision by the two parties to enter into an electoral pact.

"As MPs from the UPND, we cannot sit idle and watch one of us who is clearly being supported by MMD to destroy what we are trying to construct for the long suffering people of Zambia.

"As members, we would like to categorically disassociate ourselves from the mercenary activities of Maj Chizyuka," Mr Nkombo said.