BY OLIVER SAMBOKO
TWENTY ONE (21) candidates have shown interest to contest the vacant Kabwata parliamentary seat on the UPND Alliance ticket, says constituency Information and Publicity Secretary, Mainda Simataa.
The Kabwata Parliamentary seat fell vacant following the demise of UPND Member of Parliament, Levy Mkandawire following a fatal road traffic accident outside his house, last month.
Mr Simataa said as at Friday, 21 candidates had stepped forward and expressed interest to contest the Kabwata Constituency on the ruling party ticket.
He named the interested candidates as Lusaka UPND provincial chairperson, Obvious Mwaliteta, late party founder Anderson Mazoka’s daughter and wife to Socialist Party leader Fred M’membe, Mutinta Mazoka and Republican Progressive Party (RPP) leader, Leslie Chikuse, who is also UPND Alliance spokesperson.
Others are, Bob Sakahilu, Sulwe Isaac, Royd Chibonta, Sibeso Mwendaweli, Chilekwa Munkonge, Msaiwale Mlewa and Henry Chibutu, among others.
Mr Simataa also said of the 21 aspiring candidates, only two are female.
He said aspiring candidates will be subjected to a democratic and rigorous selection process by various party structures before coming up with a candidate that will be adopted to stand on the ruling party ticket.
Mr Simataa also disclosed that all aspiring candidates were given the opportunity to do official introductory tour of all the five wards of Kabwata Constituency, the process which has since been concluded.
The ECZ is yet to announce the date for the by-election.
