Charlotte drops petition against Mwanakatwe

Dr Scott, the wife of former Vice President Dr Guy Scott says she is no longer interested in the petition.

But the UPND has allegedly insisted on continuing the matter through another member, Jimmy Simoonga.

According to an affidavit filed in the High Court, Dr Scott said she is no longer interested in pursuing the case.

There has been discontentment amongst the UPND members, accusing the judiciary of being compromised.

Meanwhile, the trial in the matter in which losing PF Chimwemwe candidate Mwenya Musenge is petitioning the election of Independent candidate Mwila Mutale has started in the Kitwe High Court.

When the matter came up before Judge Penjani Lamba,  Musenge informed the court that the election of Mutale was marred by malpractices, violence and insults.

Musenge told the court that  Mutale did not qualify to stand as a parliamentary candidate because the later allegedly did not relinquish his membership with the PF at the time of the poll.

Musenge said this was at variance with the revised constitution which was clear on the matter.

He said the constitution clearly stipulated that independent candidates should have resigned from their respective political groupings 90 days before any given election a thing Mutale over looked.

The losing PF candidate has further alleged that Mutale kept on using PF slogans and materials during the entire campaign period.

Musenge also submitted before the courts that the wining Chimwemwe constituency independent candidate  kept on claiming that he had the backing of President Edgar Lungu and the PF rank and file in his campaigns.

He further contended that Mutale allegedly abrogated the electoral code of conduct by using PF regalia.

He lamented that he was called a smuggler by Mutale and thus, this reduced his chances of winning the Chimwemwe seat.

But when cross examined by Defence Lawyer Gideon Kalanganya,  Musenge had challenges defending his statements.