July 2001 Africa News Headlines

Tuesday, July 24, 2001 - Web posted at 12:24:45 GMT

Chiluba blames by-election losson 'mismanagement' of party

LUSAKA - Zambian President Frederick Chiluba has blamed his party's loss in a key parliamentary by-election on mismanagement within his ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD), local newspapers said yesterday.

The by-election in Chawama, a densely populated urban constituency in the capital, was won by a candidate from the newly formed Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD).

The election was seen as a litmus test for the new party ahead of presidential and parliamentary polls due around October.

"We have analysed the reasons why we lost.We gave away Chawama," Chiluba told his supporters on Sunday at State House, according to the state-owned Times of Zambia.

Chiluba said he was upset by MMD's loss in Chawama, the paper said.

Chiluba urged the party leadership to organise the members at all levels if the MMD is to win the general elections, the paper added.

The winning candidate, Jeffrey Samukonga of the two-month-old FDD, polled 2,005 votes against his MMD rival, who got 1,542 votes.

The by-election was marred by violence both before and after the vote.

Rival parties clashed shortly after polling closed on July 17, when disagreements arose over the venue for the counting of ballots.

Police used teargas to quell violence in which nine victims were hacked in the head with sharp objects while cars belonging to opposition supporters were smashed.- Nampa-Sapa-AFP

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