MANDEVU UPND losing candidate Aaron Mulope has petitioned the election of PF’s Christopher Shakafuswa citing violence and other illegal practices which allegedly characterised the campaigns and elections in the constituency.

Mulope has filed the petition in the Lusaka High Court, seeking a nullification of the results, a recount, among other claims.

In his petition, Mulope alleged that the campaigns and elections were characterized by violence which, on May 19, subsequently resulted in the assault of Frank Kaonga, a UPND polling agent at Mulungushi Ward 21 in Mandevu Constituency by about 100 PF cadres who were members of Shakafuswa’s campaign team.

He claimed that the cadres launched an attack on his campaign team as they conducted their door-to-door campaign while distributing campaign materials and fliers to the residents in Olympia.

Mulope added that on polling day, a UPND youth who was a member of his campaign team was abducted by well-known PF cadres, being members of Shakafuswa’s campaign team, and has not been seen to date, despite the family reporting the incident to the police for investigations.

He further alleged that a UPND youth, Leta Joram who was also a member of his campaign team was murdered on July 20 by PF cadres, being members of Shakafuswa’s campaign team, for not adhering to the PF’s orders of no posters in their purported strongholds in Mulungushi Ward 21.

Mulope stated that the polling day in the area was characterized by illegal practices as the police caught PF members as they were changing election results figures in Chaisa Ward in Mandevu Constituency, contrary to the Electoral Code of Conduct.

He added that during the totalling of figures at the constituency totalling center, some copies of GEN 20 forms were not accounted for as they could not be traced.

Mulope further stated that during the entering of figures by the ECZ at the totalling center, UPND polling agents raised concerns with regard to the transposition of numbers.

He added that whilst waiting for a clarification from the ECZ, a crowd of PF cadres, being members of Shakafuswa’s campaign team, stormed the building and ended up beating the polling agents and his constituency manager, who ended up losing his front teeth.

Mulope is therefore seeking a declaration that Shakafuswa did not conduct the elections with due diligence and care and a declaration that his election as a Member of Parliament for Mandevu Constituency is null and void.

He is further seeking a declaration that the illegal practices committed by the Patriotic Front party and/or its agents, affected the election result in Mandevu Constituency and that the same be nullified.

Mulope has also prayed for an order for the ballot papers relating to Mandevu Constituency Parliamentary elections to be scrutinized, verified and recounted, an order for costs and any other relief that the Court may deem fit.