Which way Msanzala?

VOTERS in Msanzala constituency in Petauke today go for a by election which will act as a litmus test for parties jostling for dominance in this Eastern province remote area.

The seat fell vacant after independent Member of Parliament (MP) Colonel Joseph Lungu resigned to join the ruling PF, on whose ticket he is contesting the polls this time around.

Colonel Lungu did not only resign alone but with two independent councillors, James Lungu for Nyakuwise ward and William Banda for Lusangazi ward who have also been adopted by the ruling party in the local government by elections.

The vast and remote constituency has 29,428 registered voters, 43 polling stations and seven local government wards.

During the September 20, 2011 tripartite elections only 15,925 people cast their votes representing a voting turnover of about 54 per cent.

Colonel Lungu had polled 8,149 votes beating his closest rival MMD’s Peter Daka, who managed to garner 6,203 votes. Incidentally, the two are in the race again in this by election.

PF Candidate last year, Godfrey Banda had polled 722 while Levison Mumba who had contested the seat on the United Party for National Development (UPND) ticket managed 277 votes.

Alliance for Democracy and Development (ADD) candidate BetramNyendwa closed the door at 71 votes.

UNIP is fielding 74-year-old retired Anglican Church evangelist Shaderick Banda while Usumani Maumba is going for the seat as an independent candidate after a fall out with the MMD.

After three weeks of vigorous campaign, all the four candidates are bubbling with confidence of scooping the seat in the province perceived to be a stronghold of the opposition MMD.

It will thus be a different contest for all candidates as the political complexion has changed since the switch of power from MMD to the PF.

During the September polls, the ruling PF managed to wrestle Chama South constituency from the MMD.

Now that Chama district has been realigned to Muchinga province, the PF has no seat in Eastern and would want to register its footprint.

Out of the 17 parliamentary seats in Eastern province, the MMD has 14, Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) only has Chasefu under its vice-president Chifumu Banda, and Charles Zulu holds the Luangeni as an independent MP.

The former ruling party had lost the Luangeni, which was previously held by Angela Cifire and the Msanzala which was under Mr Daka, who is trying his second chance.

It will be seen whether the MMD will recoup its receding popularity in the province or will continue losing the grip.

The PF on the other hand is all out to prove that it is capable of spreading its roots in the East having won the Chama South, now under Muchinga.

UNIP has not in a long time registered a win in any of the by election after battling with internal wrangles while UPND has opted not to contest, but render support to MMD.

The independent candidate is sure of getting it, arguing that in fact colonel Lungu emerged victorious last year as an independent.

The Msanzala parliamentary by election campaign has not been spared by incidences of violence as cadres from the ruling PF and MMD have clashed on a number of occasions. Perhaps, this indicates that the two are the main contenders in this race.

The heavy presence of armed police officers has somewhat calmed the situation, leaving the contest to be done through the ballot.

Eastern province commissioner of police Grace Chipalila said three incidences of physical violence were recorded in Msanzala constituency during the campaign.

The traditional rulers in this constituency Chiefs Nyampande and Nsandwe condemned the violence and hoped that such would be consigned to history as people cast their ballots today. Which way Msanzala?