The Tonse Alliance, led by Edgar Lungu, has dismissed the results of the Kawambwa Central parliamentary by-elections, which were won by the UPND. Nason Musonda of the UPND secured the seat, previously held by jailed PF MP Nickson Chilangwa, with 5,519 votes, while the candidate supported by the Tonse Alliance, Danstan Mwansa of the New Congress Party, received 3,896 votes.
In a statement, the alliance’s spokesperson, Sean Tembo, accused the ruling party of preventing the Tonse Alliance from verifying the votes cast in the affected wards. He claimed that the UPND engaged in violent tactics throughout the constituency, creating an environment unsuitable for a free and fair election.
Tembo criticized the police for their perceived bias, alleging that they failed to apprehend UPND cadres responsible for various offenses. He reported instances in which UPND supporters intimidated polling agents and election monitors in several wards, including Lyanga, Lushiba, Fisaka, Senga, Kala, and Luena.
Moreover, the alliance accused presiding officers at nearly all polling stations—excluding Chitondo and Muyembe Primary Schools—of not permitting illiterate voters to select their preferred candidates. Tembo highlighted that the illiteracy rate among voters in the more rural wards of Lyanga, Lushiba, Kala, and Senga reached as high as 60%. He argued that denying illiterate voters the chance to choose their representatives violates electoral regulations and is unlawful.
Tembo announced that the alliance would soon hold a meeting to discuss potential actions in response to the alleged misconduct surrounding the election.
