Opposition Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) say they will participate in the next by-elections in Feira after sitting out the last rounds to prepare their campaign.
Director for Communications in the Office of the President Muhabi Lungu said the party had opted out of the last by-elections to try and reorganize itself.
The MMD Electoral Commission of Zambia has set June 20th as the date for the Feira constituency by-election that fell vacant after the resignation of area MP Levy Ngoma who defected to the ruling party.
Mr Lungu denied that the MMD’s not participating in the last by-elections was due to financial difficulties.
He said that party had embarked on a new recruitment drive that had been their focus at the last by-election.
“Contrary to public misconceptions that we had not taken part in the Kapiri Mposhi and Lukulu by-elections because we are broke, the truth is we did our research and thought we should just concentrate on the nationawide tour spearheaded by our President Nevers Mumba,” he said.
The former ruling party has not fared well in by-elections since losing power and has struggled to recoup its former vibrant self.
It has suffered heavily from the Patriotic Front’s ill conceived poaching of opposition members of parliament that is meant to weaken the opposition and build a one party hegemony.
Several MMD MPs have fallen for the PF offer for deputy ministerial position for every defection.
The loss in Lukulu by the ruling party could have sent warning signals to oppositions MPs who recently accepted ministerial jobs and hail from Western Province.
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