NATIONAL Democratic Congress (NDC) leader Chishimba Kambwili says he has assigned his vice-president Josephs Akafumba to meet with UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema over plans to field one candidate in the forthcoming Mwansabombwe and Lukashya by-elections.

And UPND chairman for elections Gary Nkombo says the party has not yet reached an agreement with NDC over the matter.

In an interview, Kambwili said he could not personally meet Hichilema because he was recovering from COVID-19.

“We are yet to discuss that. In fact, I have assigned my vice-president, national chairperson and secretary general to meet president Hakainde Hichilema. So we will let you know what they will discuss. I think they will meet today or tomorrow. Because I am just recovering from COVID-19, I am in isolation. I am getting better,” said Kambwili.

And in a separate interview, Nkombo said his party was open to dialogue on the matter.

“We haven’t reached that agreement for now. You mustn’t forget we are in an alliance that does not include an electoral pact so it is a matter that we would welcome to sit down and discuss with them. But so far, we haven’t done that. We are open to dialogue. It is just that I am out of Lusaka now and I am coming back only tonight so I will ask my committee because I chair the Committee for elections to find out how far they have gone exploring and interrogating that kind of scenario,” said Nkombo.