By Chinoyi Chipulu
The PF says it is not ready to re-contest the Pambashe by-election because the party has been subjected to abuse by the UPND.
And the former ruling party says the announcement for the by-election in Pambashe is an abrogation of the constitution which the UPND is using for survival.
Yesterday the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) announced that it had set February 6, 2025 as the date for the by-election in Pambashe.
The Pambashe seat fell vacant after the conviction of PF member of parliament Ronald Chitotela for arson and was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment by the Kabwe High Court last week.
The nominations for the by election have been set for January 7, 2025 while the campaign period commences on January 8, 2025.
Speaking to Daily Revelation, Lukashya member of parliament George Chisanga, who is also chairperson legal, said by-elections were being done against the backdrop of abrogating the constitution
“I can’t speak about how ready the party is, simply because the party has been subjected to a lot of abuse by the government in power and as you noticed in Kawambwa, the party did not have a candidate,” he said.
“We know that all these announcements of by-elections were being done against the backdrop of abrogating the constitution. Because these individuals although they have been convicted, they have exercised their rights to appeal.”
Chisanga, however, said the Tonse Alliance was ready to participate in the Pambashe by elections next year.
He said a decent society that respected the rule of law would have allowed the due process of the law to be concluded before calling for the by-elections.
“We are doing it because we are democrats. But we are doing it even knowing that we are victims of abrogation of the constitution. But if those who are appointed to ensure they protect and uphold the constitution are abrogating it, it leaves people with very few options. But it is a very unfortunate development that were are running a country against the tenancy of constitutionalism,” he said
He said this showed that the UPND did not respect the law.
“We know that the UPND does not respect the constitution, we know that the UPND fights for survival as a political party in government, that is why it is doing everything, even if it’s abusing the constitution,” he said.
Chisanga said he was positive that their candidate’s would perform well in the upcoming by elections.
“But as we demonstrated in Kawambwa, we have already started having meetings under the Tonse Alliance umbrella, preparing ourselves for Petauke elections and for these elections they have just announced,” he said.
