Zambia : UPND Losing Candidates Flood Courts With Election Petitions Across Provinces

More than 20 losing United Party for National Development (UPND) parliamentary candidates have filed petitions challenging the outcome of last month’s general election in their respective constituencies, as the constitutional window for lodging such challenges drew to a close.

In Muchinga Province, UPND has petitioned two parliamentary seats in the Chinsali High Court. In Chinsali Central, National Restoration Party for Unity and Prosperity candidate Chanda Mwansa polled 11,254 votes against UPND’s Christopher Chiponde, who received 4,430 votes. In neighbouring Shiwangandu, NRPUP’s Stephen Kampyongo secured 11,536 votes against UPND’s Robert Kapeya, who polled 9,941. Both seats were formally petitioned on 28 August.

Former Chama North MP Davison Mung’andu has also filed a petition to nullify the Chama North parliamentary election, citing electoral irregularities, after NRPUP candidate Benson Njobvu won the seat with 4,660 votes against his 4,382.

On the Copperbelt, UPND candidates have challenged results in three constituencies. In Chingola Central, UPND’s Joseph Kazhila is contesting the NRPUP candidate’s victory, which came with 21,948 votes against Kazhila’s 10,782, alleging that NRPUP supporters and agents engaged in corrupt practices, including offering food to voters and distributing money through a candidate’s husband at a polling station. In Kabushi, UPND’s Emeldah Mpumpuni has challenged NRPUP’s Tillas Sichinga, alleging bribery, violence, obstruction of voters and campaigning on polling day, including claims that agents distributed between K50 and K100 to voters using pens containing concealed money.

In Western Province, UPND’s Sibeso Sefulo has petitioned against independent Mwandi MP Iris Kaingu, who won the seat by a margin of just 485 votes, polling 6,595 against Sefulo’s 6,110, alleging bribery, corruption and undue influence of voters by Kaingu’s agents. The petition further alleges the Electoral Commission of Zambia failed to properly adhere to procedure during the counting and announcement of results.

In Lusaka Province, former minister Sylvia Masebo has petitioned her loss in Chongwe East, where she polled 6,798 votes against independent winner Anita Kamanga’s 16,058.

Luapula Province has also produced a petition, with losing UPND candidate for Mwense Constituency Susan Mulala challenging the election of David Mabumba as Member of Parliament, after Mabumba polled 13,852 votes against her 5,262.

Central Province has generated two further cases. In Milanzi, UPND candidate Tylad Lungu, who polled 4,424 votes against independent winner Lumankio Zulu’s 5,004, has alleged the election was marred by widespread illegal practices and other misconduct. In Chitambo, UPND’s Remember Mutale, who polled 7,662 votes against NRPUP’s Nelson Kabanda’s 7,819, is seeking an order for scrutiny and recount of ballots, alleging corrupt practices by the respondent.

Eastern Province has also featured. In Nyimba South, UPND candidate Olipa Phiri has challenged NRPUP’s Mackson Kapantha’s victory, alleging vote-buying, bribery, violence, corruption and irregular invalidation or swapping of votes. A further UPND petition has been filed by Sunday Chanda, who is challenging Sampa Muswema’s election in Kanchibiya on the NRPUP ticket, alleging violence, intimidation, corruption and widespread non-compliance with the Electoral Process Act.

Kabwata MP Andrew Tayengwa and Copperbelt figure Lee Mukupa have also joined the list of UPND candidates petitioning results in their respective constituencies, according to court filings reported this week, though further specific detail on their individual grounds was not immediately available.

Reacting to the wave of litigation, UPND Deputy Spokesperson Elvis Nkandu said the party had not instructed losing candidates to petition, stressing that the surge in filings should not be read as a sign Zambia is moving toward a one-party state. UPND Elections Chairperson Likando Mufalali said there was no guarantee that petitions would automatically result in nullifications, adding that each case would be determined on its own merit.

Political analyst Dr Neo Simutanyi has cautioned that Zambians should not be shocked if some UPND petitioners succeed in court, while the GEARS Initiative has predicted that most petitions are unlikely to succeed. The Zambian Civil Liberties Union (ZCLU), through executive director Isaac Mwanza, has urged all parties to allow the courts to independently examine the evidence before pre-empting any outcome, noting that the electorate had already expressed its will through the ballot.

Petitions are proceeding through the Lusaka, Chinsali and Livingstone High Courts, alongside the separate presidential petition still before the Constitutional Court and the treason case against former opposition figures Brian Mundubile and Makebi Zulu, adding to an unusually crowded post-election legal calendar.

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