By Mubanga Mubanga
Science and Technology minister Felix Mutati says there is nothing factual about allegations that the UPND is buying voters in the ongoing Kasama by-elections campaigns.
But PF member Kennedy Kamba says they have evidence of vote buying by the UPND in Kasama.
In an interview with Daily Revelation yesterday, Mutati who is leading the UPND campaign, described the assertions as mere allegations.
“The campaigns are going very well. We are working hard, and it is going very well. It is just an allegation, so l don’t answer to allegations, l answer to facts. If you give me a fact then l will comment on the fact. l can’t comment on what you are saying,” Mutati said. “Everybody can make an allegation, give me a fact, then l will be able to comment. One step at a time, let us deal with Kasama, then we can deal with the general elections.”
In a separate interview with Daily Revelation yesterday, Kamba who is also in Kasama, maintained that the UPND was engaging in vote buying.
”That one is very clear because our colleagues are getting voters cards, and in the name of verifying using the voters register of the ECZ. And the residents of Kasama are being given money. And we have evidence,” Kamba said. “We have videos and it is unfortunate that our colleagues don’t have a message to the people of Kasama. They are only here to intimidate and to buy votes. And l can only urge the people of Kasama to vote wisely and look where we are coming from.”
Kamba alleged that the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) were planning on getting people from Lusaka to run the Kasama by-elections.
“It is rumored that our colleagues who are running this election want to bring people from Lusaka to manage elections as electoral officers, leaving out the owners of the town, the Kasama residents,” Kamba said. “And it was advertised. So we hope that they are going to do the right thing by giving a sort of employment to the people of Kasama.”
However, Kamba expressed confidence in winning the Kasama by-elections.
He said the UPND had neglected the people of Kasama.
”Yes, because the people of Kasama have been lagging in development. In terms of fertilizer they were not getting enough. And in terms of payments of the maize they have been complaining up to now, part of the farmers haven’t gotten the payment,” said Kamba. “And they have been taken back to their camps because they don’t want to be seen in town, especially the long queues at the banks.”
