The Patriotic Front has ignored their popular candidate Elliot Kamondo and adopted former MMD Mufumbwe member of parliament Steven Masumba as its candidate for the parliamentary by-election slated for November 8.
Kamondo, who won the seat on a UPND ticket in 2009 but later crossed, was favoured by PF officials in the constituency while Masumba was imposed on the ruling party for creating the vacancy.
The PF intends to create by-elections in several areas where it will back mostly the same MMD candidates it has appointed to inferior ministerial positions.
When PF secretary general Wynter Kabimba and President Michael Sata learnt their favoured candidate Masumba was not favoured on the ground, they decided to impose him on the grassroots.
Highly placed sources have confirmed to both the Zambian Watchdog and Times of Zambia that Masumba is the adopted candidate.
The Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) set November 8, 2012 as the date for the Mufumbwe by-election after the seat was declared vacant by Speaker of the National Assembly, Patrick Matibini.
This followed Mr Masumba’s expulsion from the MMD for indiscipline.
Masumba, who is facing fraud charges, for obtaining an illegal qualification as an accountant lost his legal battle of challenging his expulsion from the MMD but later resigned tojoin the ruling party.