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Barely less than 24 hours after adopting Timothy Kantenga as its candidate for the Chawama Constituency by-election, the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) has rescinded the decision and adopted Morgan Munda following an eligibility review.
Speaking at a media briefing in Lusaka on Tuesday, UPND Chairperson for Elections, Garry Nkombo, said the reversal followed a verification process conducted after the initial announcement made on Monday.
“It was established that Mr. Kantenga does not technically qualify to contest, as he is a new voter who only registered in the constituency in December this year,” Nkombo said.
The party had on December 15, 2025, adopted Kantenga as its candidate, with Nkombo at the time expressing confidence that the UPND would secure victory in the forthcoming poll.
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However, the position changed after the verification exercise.
“The party’s recent successes in by-elections and expressed optimism ahead of the 2026 general election,” Nkombo said.
During the same briefing, Kantenga pledged to continue mobilising grassroots support for President Hakainde Hichilema, the UPND and its parliamentary candidates, targeting 100,000 votes, and called for unity to ensure victory in the 2026 general elections.
Meanwhile, the Tonse Alliance has adopted former Copperbelt Province Permanent Secretary, Bright Nundwe, as its candidate for the Chawama seat.
Nundwe, who will contest on the Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) ticket, has since filed his nomination ahead of the January 15 Chawama parliamentary by-election.
The Chawama seat fell vacant after former Patriotic Front lawmaker Tasila Lungu lost her seat due to prolonged and indefinite absence from Parliament, linked to delays in the burial of her father, former President Edgar Lungu.
The absence left the constituency without representation, prompting the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to call the by-election.
Chawama is regarded as a strategic and highly competitive constituency in Lusaka, with the by-election drawing significant political attention as parties position themselves ahead of the 2026 general elections.
In total, sixteen candidates have expressed interest in contesting the seat, including contenders from the ruling UPND, the FDD and the National Democratic Congress, among others.
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