RE-ELECTED Kantanshi Member of Parliament Anthony Mumba anticipates a difficult five years ahead for Zambia, arguing that the country is in a recession.

And Mumba has advised all stakeholders in the current election to desist from disputing election results that do not seem to favour them.

Mumba was yesterday announced as elected MP for Kantanshi in Mufulira after he polled 14,539 votes seeing off his closest contender Mukwanya Ng’andu of UPND who managed to collect 6,622 votes.

Mumba said in an interview after being declared winner that a tough five years awaits the country because leaders will have to manage people’s expectations.

“I thank the people of Kantanshi for this opportunity, these five years will be a difficult five years like I said earlier, we are in a recession and the challenges of our people particularly us the leaders who are supposed to look after the welfare of our people. It will be a very difficult journey the next 60 months [five years] we have to manage their opinions, anxieties and expectations,” he said.

“It is a lot of work ahead of us and we know that we have a recession, people don’t have jobs we have to work on the economic recovery plan when we assume office as the PF.”

Meanwhile, Mumba is dismayed that some stakeholders have already started disputing some results that are coming through.

“A word for those who are already starting to dispute results, especially colleagues from the international community, let us dialogue where necessary let us not start to take positions. This is an election for the people of Zambia. Just like the people of Kantanshi have aired their voices, you have seen the results that have come on the presidential [ballot] and therefore that is the voice of the people of Kantanshi and the voices will be different around the country. Let us remain united as a country,” he said.

He said it was unfair for stakeholders to dispute the voice of the people.

“It is not fair to start disputing results that are coming because they do not favour us, we have heard pockets of disputes starting to arise simply because we don’t have the results that we were anticipating,” Mumba said.

Mumba, who was an independent MP in the previous election, stood on the PF ticket this year.

Other candidates on the ballot were independent Wallace Kalunga who collected 546 votes, PAC’s Ngosa Chibwana who managed 253 votes, SP’s Constance Bwalya who polled 195 votes and DP’s Martin Kabwe who managed 91 votes.