By Mwansa Kaumba
President Hakainde Hichilema yesterday projected confidence after casting his vote in the general elections at Kabulonga Boys Secondary School.
And NRPUP presidential candidate Brian Mundubile says he has been encouraged by turnout in areas perceived to be his party’s strongholds, and the low voter turnout in ruling UPND strongholds.
Citizens First (CF) leader Harry Kalaba said his name and that of his party will feature prominently and in Zambian politics.
The President who voted at Kabulonga Secondary School was greeted to loud cheers upon his arrival at the polling center, where many had been waiting to welcome him he went to cast his vote.
After greeting the people who had waited for him, the President stood in the queue briefly but was after some minutes quickly escorted to one of the classrooms where he cast his vote alongside First Lady Mutinta and their two sons, Chikonka and Habwela.
After casting the votes, the President again proceeded to mingle with the crowds that had gathered for him, greeting, interacting and chatting with many in the process. He also allowed several others to take selfies with him amid the trademark ‘salt sana’ and ‘daddy chololo’ chants from the others.
Leaving his motorcade behind, the President took the crowd on walk to the school’s main gates, where he allowed many others to take selfies with him, and on to the street outside the school ground where he was joined by his motorcade.
Speaking with the media afterwards, President Hichilema said: “I’m an ordinary citizen, I’m just a servant of the people who chose to put me in office.”
NRPUP leader Mundubile had his own thunderous welcome when he went to vote at Olympia Park Secondary School in Lusaka. Most of the people who had queued up waiting for their chance to vote immediately sprung into loud cheers when Mundubile appeared. He was quickly whisked to one of the classrooms to cast his vote.
Speaking after casting his vote, Mundubile said he had been encouraged by turnout in areas perceived to be his party’s strongholds, and the low voter turnout in ruling UPND strongholds.
Mundubile said his campaign had noted low voter turn out in UPND strongholds such as Southern Province, and therefore did not expect crazy numbers to start coming out of that area.
“We have also noted that there is low voter turn out in UPND strongholds like Southern Province … We would like to appeal to the people of Southern Province, those that are voting for us, those that are supporting us to turn out and cast their votes. I must also be quick to mention that we do not expect to see those crazy numbers coming out of Southern Province,” Mundubile said. “What we have monitored so far is that there hasn’t been a lot of voter turn out. So to those that are managing elections take note that there is low voter turnout in Southern Province particularly, and it’s therefore expected that even the numbers will reflect turn out.”
He said through the virtual rallies they held, they urged people against voting for tribe, but that they should vote for leaders by looking at their attributes, vision and the capacity to deliver.
He said he suspected that because of frustrations others simply decided not to go out and vote.
He said the UPND would like to use the military to intimidate the voters but from what he had seen and been told the people were very resolved and would not be intimidated.
He said this was the begining of a new Zambia.
“I expect us to win this election. It’s a feedback that we got and received across nine provinces. It was very clear that the people of Zambia are ready for change,” Mundubile said.
He said poverty levels were extremely high and Zambians now could not express themselves.
He said youths wanted their jobs and gold mines.
Mundubile said they were only given about two months to campaign, and within the same period faced a number of challenges as they were blocked at every juncture.
He said police would stop them and change venue rally venues to places where preferred.
He said they also experienced violent attacks from the UPND cadres.
Mundubile said in Luampa, Western Province, police colluded with UPND cadres to attack them.
He accused the police of having encouraged the UPND cadres to attack them.
He said they had also faced a number of abductions, including that of one of their officials who was handling the Parallel Voter Tabulation (PVT) for his campaigns.
He said there was nothing wrong with PVT and the fact the UPND did not want it spoke volumes.
Mundubile said most of the people who had been arrested were those connected with PVT.
He said they also faced challenges with the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) which he said had been changing rules at every point to suit the ruling party.
Mundubile said they expected ECZ to be independent or to be seen to be independent, something he said they had not lived up to.
Mundubile appealed to his supporters to go back to the polling stations and protect their vote after casting their ballots.
He said he was impressed that at the time of speaking the voting was proceeding peacefully and people had turned up in numbers.
“Once you have cast your vote do not go far, remain there to protect your vote,” he said.
He urged his supporters with vehicles and motorcycles to escort the vehicles carrying the ballot boxes to the totalling centre, as they needed escort to remove any form of suspicion.
And CF leader Kalaba cast his vote at Linda Push in Linda township in Lusaka, along with his wife, Irene.
Upon arriving at the school, Kalaba greeted some of the voters in the queue, as other shouted, “honourable, honourable!”
Speaking after voting, Kalaba said he was impressed with the vote turn out in Lusaka, Copperbelt, Luapula and several provinces of the country.
He said he was happy to note that the people had come out in their numbers showing that they took their civic responsibilities seriously.
“I can only hope that the people’s wish will be respected. I am being informed that the turn out in Luapula is also good, as well as in other provinces,” Kalaba said.
He said it was without doubt that his name and that of his party would feature prominently and decisively in this election.
“It’s without doubt that CF has stamped its authority on the country’s landscape. There will be no politics being discussed in Zambia without CF,” said Kalaba. “We have established our footprint on the country’s politics as a formidable political party,” said Kalaba.
