MMD fires first poll salvo

The ruling Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) is the first party to announce its list of parliamentary candidates for Zambia's forthcoming elections.

And there has been a certain quickening of the political tempo since. Further momentum was added when the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) disclosed that the voters' register was virtually ready.

ECZ chairman Irene Mambilima said this week the register was being finalised and that all preparations were on course.

Mambilima said this as she launched the Electoral Code of Conduct in Zambian languages, which she said was the first step in resolving and minimising electoral conflicts.

Shortly after the MMD had announced its list, the main opposition party, the Patriotic Front (PF), indicated that it would be ready with its own list soon. And the United Party for National Development (UPND), also disclosed that it was on course with its list.

The MMD candidate list came amid a well-publicised fall-out between President Rupiah Banda and some of his friends from his home town, the Eastern Province capital of Chipata.

At least two declared allegiance with the PF at a rally where former works and supply deputy minister and Chipata MP Lameck Mangani joined the PF.

One of them declared that the MMD was "finished" in the province - and that Zambians now wanted PF leader Michael Sata to rule.

The MMD list contained few surprises. Only one cabinet minister and four deputy ministers will not be standing again. The MMD in fact staged a coup of sorts by adopting six PF and two UPND MPs to stand on its ticket.

Announcing the list after a meeting of the national execu-tive committee (NEC) at State House, Banda, the party leader, said the selection process had been transparent, meticulous and highly competitive.

"The unsuccessful aspirants should note that the selection process was a balanced collective exercise involving the entire party through the NEC."

Banda urged members to put the interests of the party above their own and campaign vigorously for victory.

But some were quite bitter about the "imposition" of candidates and a former district commissioner, who was said to have been the front-runner in one Western Province constituency but was not selected, was reported to have resigned from the party to stand as an independent. He said he would follow the will of the people who had indicated they wanted him as their candidate.

There could be more independents after the nomination papers are filed. There was bitter disappointment in two Southern Province constituencies. In one, senior MMD officials said the choice of candidate was "a grave political mistake" and would ensure that the party lost. "We wanted to listen to the will of the people by giving them their preferred candidate," they said.

In the other constituency officials said the adopted candidate was inappropriate and would deny the party victory.

In the mining city of Kitwe, supporters of a losing candidate protested the adoption of a former PF councillor for one of the parliamentary seats.

But Gabriel Namulambe, the elections committee chairman of the MMD, warned of disciplinary action against members who he said were bribing supporters to protest against the selected candidates.

"The NEC is the highest organ of the party and all members should respect its decision," said Namulambe, who is also the Works and Supply Minister.

The MMD in Lusaka wasted no time. A day after the list was released last week, the two new candidates, both defectors from the PF - Peter Machungwa and former backbencher Marjorie Mwape - were formally introduced to party officials in their respective constituencies.

The MMD maintained the momentum and three days later Banda addressed a campaign rally in the Central Province capital, Kabwe.

There promises to be an intriguing contest in the Northern Province capital of Kasama, where the sitting MP from the PF - Geoffrey Mwamba - is being challenged by his first cousin, Chilekwa Munkonge.

Mwamba is not amused and has accused "his brother" Munkonge of "breaking up the family". He told a local radio station: "I don't trust my brother anymore. I will never trust him again. I have lost trust in him."

Profound indeed. But such it seems are the elections, due to be held on September 20.