By JIMMY CHIBUYE, CHAMBO NG’UNI and DARLINGTON MWENDABAI
THE electorate in five constituencies today exercise their right to vote for their respective members of Parliament (MPs) after a month of vigorous and peaceful campaigns, which came to a climax yesterday.
Parliamentary candidates contesting the Solwezi Central, Kasenengwa, Mkushi North, Zambezi West and Vubwi are all confident of scooping the respective seats.
In Vubwi, which has 18,084 registered voters and 28 polling stations, the candidates’ campaign has been similar – a pledge to develop the rural constitutency.
In contention are Patriotic Front (PF) candidate Margaret Miti, MMD’s Eustarkio Kazonga and the United Party for National Development (UPND)’s Afonso Phiri.
Others are Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD)’s Charles Nyoka and UNIP’s candidate Lucas Phiri.
The Vubwi parliamentary seat fell vacant last year after the Supreme Court nullified the election of Dr Kazonga due to electoral malpractices.
Losing PF candidate in the 2011 general election Vincent Mwale petitioned Dr Kasonga’s election.
In the 2011 tripartite elections, Dr Kazonga polled 5,807 votes, Herbert Banda of the UPND got 1,114 votes, Mr Mwale got 826 votes while Ms Miti, who contested the seat as an independent candidate, polled 258 votes.
Before the 2011 elections, the seat was held by UNIP’s Lusiano Mwale from 1991 to 1996, FDD’s Alexander Miti (1996 to 2011), and late George Phiri of UNIP (2001 to 2006).
Ms Miti, a professional administrator, is confident of scooping the seat because she contends she is the right candidate to represent the people.
“I feel very proud of myself for contesting among the men and I am very confident of winning this seat. I am not intimidated and I know come tomorrow (today), I will carry the day and become the first female MP for Vubwi,” Ms Miti said.
Mr Phiri of UPND said it is unacceptable for Vubwi to remain underdeveloped for a long time and it will be his responsibility to spearhead the construction of a tertiary training institution if elected.
Mr Nyoka, 44, of FDD, a farmer, said his main focus will be to ensure that agricultural products have ready market.
“I am the only person who can say I originally belong here because my fellow candidates either live in Lusaka or Chipata. But I have been on the ground sharing the same hardships with the people of Vubwi and I deserve to carry the day,” he said.
Mr Phiri, of UNIP,  a general manager for Chongwe District Cooperative Union, said it will be easy for him to win today’s election because he has covered all the areas and sold his manifesto successfully to the electorate.
Dr Kazonga’s message to the people of Vubwi has been that of continuity on the development programmes he initiated before his election was nullified.
In Mkushi South, MMD’s Sydney Chisanga, PF candidate Davies Chisopa and Agness Mambwe of the UPND are contesting the seat.
The seat fell vacant on December 18 last year when the Supreme Court nullified the election of Mr Chisanga due to electoral malpractices after Mr Chisopa successfully petitioned.
In 2011, Mr Chisanga polled 3,744 votes, Mr Chisopa got 1,373 votes while Mr Sunwell Kayumba of UPND was third with 1,035 votes.
Mr Chisopa said: “We have won all wards in the constituency…for me it’s definitely a 100 percent win tomorrow.”
But Mr Chisanga argues that victory is certain for him  despite MMD losing local government seats to  PF.
“I am definitely winning and I am going to continue working on the projects I started before the nullification,” Mr Chisanga said.
Ms Mambwe said she has better credentials to represent the people of Mkushi South
“Mr Chisopa is not winning, I have hundred percent chance of winning and for MMD, we are not counting them,” Ms Mambwe said.
Four candidates are seeking election in the Kasenengwa by-election in the constituency that has 41,795 registered voters.
MMD candidate Victoria Kalima, whose election was nullified by the Supreme Court on grounds of electoral malpractices, is seeking re-election.
She is up against Timothy Nyirenda of UPND, who held the seat from 2001 to 2006 under the UNIP ticket, Khumbiza Daka of UNIP and PF’s Gideon Zulu.
Ms Kalima said once re-elected, she will ensure that roads are worked on and she apologised to Chief Madzimawe, Chief Nzamane and Chief Mushalo for the misunderstanding that they had in the past.
PF candidate Gideon Zulu said he is the best candidate to represent the people of Kasenengwa in Parliament because he is not new to the area.
He said PF is currently constructing roads, clinics and schools, and it will be easier for Government to deliver development to the area if he is elected MP.