UPND
leader Hakainde Hichilema writes;
We would
like to start by thanking all UPND supporters and party members who worked hard
throughout this by-election campaign. Your energy and dedication is greatly
appreciated. In these by-elections we have once again demonstrated that the
UPND is providing the only major opposition to the current PF Government. The
inroads we have made into Eastern Province and our strong performance in the Senga
Hill parliamentary by-election also provide further evidence that the UPND’s
popularity continues to surge across the length and breadth of the country.
We would
also like to congratulate the wining candidates and appeal to them to serve the
public’s interest at all times, putting aside selfish or personal interests.
However, it would seem that voter apathy was once more the real winner
yesterday, with low turnouts recorded. Just 15% of registered voters are
reported to have turned out in the Chawama parliamentary by-election.
Zambians,
having been let down by government after government, are understandably
fatigued by politics. Elected representatives must regain the confidence of the
people by working hard, working in a transparent manner and serving the
interest of all their constituents equally, and not just those that have voted
for them. From the opposition we will continue to deliver our message that
Zambians deserves better from their Government and that change is well within
our reach in 2016.
As the
UPND has rehearsed time and time again we believe the staggering and
unprecedented amount of by-elections held under the PF Government has been a
colossal waster of money that could be better spent on much needed investments
into our health and education systems. It has also taken up a large amount of
Government time and attention when they should be focused on addressing the
plight of the people and not campaigning here, there and everywhere. Our
position remains that by improving the credibility of the electoral process and
introducing the new constitution we can avoid the need for so many by-election
and thereby avoid this waste.
We must
now all work together to ensure free and fair tripartite elections in 2016. We
are please to note that President Lungu has acquiesced to our demand for the
nomination of a new Chairperson for the ECZ. We must now turn our attention to
scrutiny of the nomination, the upcoming voter registration exercise, and
working with the ECZ to ensure problems presented by past elections are
address, so that a level playing field and a transparent process for 2016 is
ensured
