The Tonse Pamodzi Alliance has demanded that the Electoral Commission of Zambia cancel the Mandevu parliamentary by-election after three candidates pulled out of the race, with polling set for Thursday, 5 November. The alliance accuses the ruling UPND of intimidating its candidate and offering him incentives to quit, allegations that have not been independently verified.
Alliance Secretary General Muhabi Lungu made the demand at a media briefing in Lusaka on 30 October, according to a report by LusakaTimes.com. He said the people of Mandevu deserve a fair fight, not a contest rigged in its final week by fear and money.
What happened in Mandevu?
Three candidates withdrew from the race less than a week before voters go to the polls. Lungu told journalists that the alliance's own candidate stepped aside only after facing intimidation, threats and an offer of inducement linked to the United Party for National Development.
He said the UPND has been offering incentives to opposition candidates to persuade them to abandon the race. The claims, first reported by LusakaTimes.com and echoed by the Zambian Observer, remain allegations at this stage.
Lungu said cancelling the by-election would be the right and Christian thing to do, given that Zambia is a Christian nation.
His argument is simple: a contest stripped of three candidates in its final week no longer offers voters the choice that existed at nomination. The alliance wants the ECZ to reset the process rather than allow polling to proceed on what it sees as compromised terms.
Why the alliance wants a fresh start
The alliance argues that cancelling the election would allow political parties, including itself, to identify replacement candidates and restore real competition to the contest. News Diggers reports that Lungu described the sudden withdrawals as undemocratic.
A letter spelling out the alliance's concerns will be delivered to the Electoral Commission of Zambia. The request puts the Commission under pressure at a late stage, with preparations for polling day already in their final days.
The alliance also announced it will push aggressively for electoral reforms on candidate withdrawals. Lungu said it is unfair for parties to commit resources to the adoption process only for candidates to pull out a week before ballots are cast. The current rules leave parties exposed to late withdrawals they cannot fix in time, he said, and the issue will now be a central plank of the alliance's reform agenda.
Why Mandevu has been without an MP since August
The by-election exists because the 13 August general election produced no result in the constituency. On 18 August, unknown individuals stormed the Mandevu totalling centre, attacked staff, destroyed result transmission kits and fled with election documents.
Ballot papers were later found dumped in drainages and burnt, leaving the returning officer unable to declare a winner. The ECZ then scheduled fresh polls for 5 November, alongside the Lumezi North parliamentary by-election, the Mbala mayoral election and by-elections in 11 wards.
Who is running?
Nominations were held on 8 October, with campaigns running from 10 October to 4 November. The UPND adopted Adrian Banda, a long-serving Ngwerere ward councillor who contested the seat as an independent in August.
Banda was among the leading contenders in the general election alongside the UPND's Christopher Shakafuswa and Jean Kapata, who stood for the Resolute Party. On 7 October, the Tonse Pamodzi Alliance announced it would contest every November by-election and chose Kapata, who represented Mandevu for the Patriotic Front from 2006, as its candidate.
What happens next?
Mandevu is one of Lusaka's most closely watched constituencies, and the alliance's allegations add fresh tension to a contest already shaped by the violence that disrupted the August count. The withdrawal of three candidates narrows the field significantly in the final stretch of campaigning.
The ECZ has yet to respond to the alliance's letter. Polling day is set for Thursday, 5 November.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the Tonse Pamodzi Alliance want the Mandevu by-election cancelled?
The alliance says three candidates withdrew after intimidation and offers of inducement linked to the UPND, so the contest no longer offers voters a genuine choice. It wants the ECZ to restart the process so parties can field replacement candidates.
When is the Mandevu by-election scheduled?
Polling is set for Thursday, 5 November, with campaigns running from 10 October to 4 November.
Why has Mandevu had no MP since August?
Attackers stormed the totalling centre on 18 August, destroyed equipment and stole election documents, and ballot papers were later found burnt, leaving the returning officer unable to declare a winner.